Hoshiarpur:- With the objective of providing high-quality health facilities to pregnant women under maternal and child health services and reducing the maternal mortality rate, a meeting of the Maternal Death Review Committee was organized today at the Office of the Civil Surgeon Hoshiarpur. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Civil Surgeon Doctor Mandeep Kamal and under the leadership of District Family Welfare Officer Doctor Ranjit Singh. During this, the maternal death of a woman from Village Ajdram under Community Health Centre Harta Badla was reviewed in detail.
Civil Surgeon Doctor Mandeep Kamal said that timely identification of high-risk pregnant women is very important in order to prevent maternal deaths. All necessary tests should be conducted within the stipulated time and appropriate treatment should be provided as required. He emphasized that continuous contact should be maintained with pregnant women who are expected to deliver during the month and they should be regularly followed up by Accredited Social Health Activist workers and Auxiliary Nurse Midwife workers so that immediate health facilities can be provided in case of any emergency. The Civil Surgeon instructed all Medical Officers and field staff to ensure that pregnant women do not suffer from deficiency of blood, and for this the availability of iron and folic acid should be ensured by Auxiliary Nurse Midwife workers.
Through this, deaths caused by postpartum haemorrhage during delivery can be prevented to a great extent. Doctors should ensure that all pregnant women in the second and third trimester receive at least one antenatal check-up. He also instructed the doctors that special attention should be given to high-risk pregnant women during the camps organized on the 9 and 23 of every month under the Pradhan Mantri Matritva Suraksha Yojana. He directed the paramedical staff that patients must be motivated about family planning.
Issuing clear instructions, he said that birth planning for every pregnant woman should be prepared in advance by Auxiliary Nurse Midwife workers. Under no circumstances should delivery take place at home and all deliveries should be conducted 100 percent institutionally. Accredited Social Health Activist workers were also instructed to ensure that they remain present with pregnant women at health institutions during check-ups and at the time of delivery.
District Family Welfare Officer Doctor Ranjit Singh said that every pregnant woman should first be registered at a health institution as early as possible. He informed that all important tests such as weight, blood pressure, sugar, haemoglobin, thyroid, hepatitis, liver function test, scan and electrocardiogram must be conducted on time so that possible complications can be identified and treated in time.
He further said that birth plans should be prepared in advance for high-risk pregnant women and they should be referred to those health institutions where all necessary equipment and specialist facilities are available. In addition, even if a pregnant woman is receiving private treatment, she should still be continuously followed up by the Government Health Department.
During the meeting, health officials especially emphasized Antenatal Care and postnatal check-ups. They said that timely identification, prior planning, continuous monitoring and prompt treatment are the most effective steps in reducing the maternal mortality rate.
On this occasion, District Health Officer Doctor Jatinder Bhatia, Doctor Manjari Gynecologist, Tarsem Lal District Mass Media Officer, field staff from the concerned blocks and other related medical and paramedical staff were present.