Most mothers prefer new arrivals at home

Statesman News Service

MALDA, 11 JAN: Though the state health authorities are trying hard to increase the rate of institutional delivery of newborn babies than deliveries at home with the help of midwives, more than 60 per cent of pregnant women prefer giving birth to their babies at home.

According to the district health department the rate of institutional delivery is nearly 40 per cent and more than 60 per cent women are giving birth to their babies at home.

This was revealed by a report prepared by the district health officials recently and was also submitted to the chairperson of State Women's Commission during a meeting on women's rights held at Malda on Friday.

The chief medical officer of health of this district, Dr Srikanta Roy, had to explain several reasons behind the poor rate of institutional delivery compared to the percentage of home deliveries.

The report said: “A total of 1,10,527 babies were born in this district in 2009 of whom 30,537 babies were born in various health centres. The rest 79,990 babies were born at home”.

A total of 15,979 male babies were born in health centres and out of them 2,653 ones died after birth. Similarly a total of 2,120 female babies died out of 14,558 after birth in 2009.

On the other hand, a total of 41,298 male babies were born at home and of them 5,964 died. A total of 3,203 female babies died out of 38,692 born at home after birth, the report said.

The report also pointed out that a total of 936 still born babies were recorded in health centres but only 13 cases were of home deliveries this year.

The CMOH, Dr Srikanta Roy said: “Two years ago, the rate of institutional deliveries was less than 30 per cent. Now the rate has however increased.

“The rate of institutional babies is high, nearly 60 and in English Bazaar, Old Malda and other blocks, the rate is even much higher. But the rate of home delivery is higher in many blocks like Harishchandrapur blocks I and II, where rate of home delivery is more than 80 per cent. As a result the rate of institutional delivery is nearly 40 percent in this district”.

“Despite several efforts and schemes, there are several reasons for the increased rate of home delivery. Inaccessibility in remote villages, education, social and cultural prejudices have created problems to increase the rate of institutional delivery,” Dr Roy said.

Citing examples, the CMOH said: “We have trained many midwives to encourage pregnant mothers to come to health centres from remote villages. Each midwife who brings a pregnant mother to a health centre will get Rs 125.”

To increase the rate of institutional deliveries, the state government has been providing a aid kit worth Rs 350 to each mother and her newborn along with other facilities, since the past two years.