CHHATTISGARH: For years, the monsoon brought fear for pregnant women in Abujhmaad, the dense, uncharted forest region of Orchha block in the erstwhile Maoist-affected Narayanpur district. Swollen rivers, muddy forest tracks and harsh terrain routinely cut off dozens of tribal hamlets from the outside world. For women who went into labour during heavy rain, reaching a hospital was often impossible. Home deliveries amid complications ended in the loss of mother or child.
To end this long-standing vulnerability, the Narayanpur district administration, under Collector Namrata Jain, launched MAYKA (Maternal Assistance, Yielding Knowledge-Care & Access). Named after the Hindi word “Mayka”—a woman’s maternal home associated with safety, comfort, unconditional care and protection—the initiative shifts pregnant women from remote villages to safe waiting centres 15 to 20 days before their Expected Date of Delivery (EDD), well before labour pains or emergency complications arise.
“The programme works on a simple yet novel resourceful premise: relocate pregnant women from remote villages to safe waiting centres 15 to 20 days prior to their Expected Date of Delivery, long before labour pains or emergency complications arise,” Jain said.
According to the SRS Special Bulletin (May 2026), Chhattisgarh’s Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) stood at 124 per 100,000 live births, against the national average of 87. Health Management Information System (HMIS) records showed Narayanpur’s MMR at 111.86. Ground evaluations found that most maternal deaths occurred not because of incurable medical conditions, but because women could not reach a healthcare facility in time.
Officials said eight strategically located MAYKA hubs at Ader, Mohandi, Irakbhatti,Dunga,Kudmel,Boranirpi,Maspur and Konge now serve as protective centres for more than 116 remote villages and 17,759 tribal residents across Orchha block.Launched with the onset of the monsoon in June 2026, the initiative has recorded more than 50 safe institutional deliveries in just a couple of months.
Another 29 deliveries are scheduled this month and 27 next month as the administration works to bring every pregnant woman in Abujhmaad under institutional care.
“A key strength of MAYKA is its integration with local tribal communities,” said Kedar Kashyap, State Minister and MLA from Narayanpur.
Each MAYKA centre functions next to a Sub-Health Centre (SHC) or Primary Health Centre (PHC) and is jointly managed by the Health Department and the Women & Child Development Department.
“The human resource deployed at each centre ensures comprehensive, culturally sensitive care,” said Namrata Chandrakar, Community Health Officer managing operations at the Maspur MAYKA Centre. Two Rural Health Officers handle registration, vital monitoring and antenatal check-ups.
Trained local youths who speak the native language build trust with families, encourage institutional deliveries and act as counsellors. Mitanins and Health Assistants conduct door-to-door outreach to ensure women shift to the centres on time, while dedicated cooks and Anganwadi staff prepare warm, nutritious and culturally appropriate meals following structured weekly diet charts. A fleet of seven specialised motorbike ambulances transports pregnant women through forest tracks and deep mud where four-wheeled vehicles cannot operate.
At the Maspur MAYKA Centre, women such as Sanno Bai from Tudko and Sarita from Maspur stay in a supportive environment under daily clinical monitoring while awaiting their delivery dates. The centre has recently facilitated safe institutional deliveries for Budhyari and Soni from Garpa, Buke from Horadi and Thangari from Maspur, replacing risky home deliveries with safe childbirth. Jain said every mother follows a five-step safe delivery journey now.