Centre to launch software to track expectant women

Initiative part of govt effort to control maternal mortality cases

The Union government would soon unveil a software aimed at identifying and tracking pregnant mothers across the country. The initiative is a part of its efforts to control maternal mortality cases. To be launched within a month, the software works by assigning a ‘unique number’ to pregnant mothers right from the arrival of pregnancy to the stage of delivery.

“Developed to work as a common platform, it would help departments concerned of both state and central governments access the mother data at regular intervals,” said CN Purandare, president-elect, International Federation of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians (FIGO).   

Designed and developed by the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecology Societies of India (FOGSI) and handed over to the government two months ago, the database generated would help the country to manage maternal death review (MDR) effectively.

“Even WHO has requested an access to the software for its global MDR programme,” Purandare said on the sidelines of a conference on recent advances in obstetrics and gynaecology held in Hyderabad on Friday.

As part of its efforts to strengthen maternal healthcare services at the grassroot level, the government will sign an MoU with the FOGSI.

“To be signed as early as next week, FOGSI would impart competency training to ASHA workers, skilled birth attendants (SBAs) to attend cases of emergency delivery at the village level,” said FOGSI president Hema Divakar.  

Speaking to mediapersons, she said up to 90 per cent of maternal mortality cases reported in the country annually could be prevented by addressing preemptive measures including access to primary healthcare centres, controlling unsafe abortions and early child marriages.

Going by the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG), 2015, India has to bring down its total maternal mortality deaths to around 100 for every 100,000 cases. According to the latest available figures, the maternity mortality rate in the country stood at 212 for every 100,000 cases.