Maternal and infant mortality increased steadily in Gajapati

Maternal and infant mortality in Odisha's tribal-dominated Gajapati district increased steadily amid ill-equipped healthcare facilities.
The district recorded a total of 214 infant deaths in 2012-13, 198 in 2013-14 and 267 in 2014-15, according to official data.
In April and May this year, 37 baby deaths were reported, sources said. Similarly, 20 and 21 maternal deaths were reported in 2012-13 and 2013-14 respectively. In 2014-15, there were 27 maternal deaths in the district, official sources said.
Despite rise in deaths, the district has no special newborn care unit (SNCU) to treat infants in critical condition. None of the eight community health centres (CHC) have a paediatrician or a gynaecologist. Only the headquarter hospital at Paralakhemundi has two paediatricians and one gynaecologist, they said.

Most doctors in the district refer babies in a critical condition to either MKCG Medical College and Hospital here or to Visakhapatnam. In order to promote institutional deliveries, the government pressed the national ambulance service to take pregnant women to hospitals and launched Mamata scheme - a conditional cash transfer benefit scheme for mothers who opt for institutional deliveries.
But most tribal women prefer to give birth at home rather than hospitals. The district has recorded around 65 per cent institutional deliveries, official sources said.

Since the hospitals in the district lack experienced doctors to carry out deliveries and paediatricians to treat newborns, tribal women prefer home deliveries to going to the hospital. Moreover, national ambulance service has not been implemented effectively, said Sanjeet Patnaik, an activist.

Chief district medical officer (CDMO) N M Jena said increase in infant and maternal mortality was due to improvement in the reporting system in the district.
The government has appointed another gynaecologist at the district headquarters hospital, but the doctor is yet to join the post, he said.
A three-storied building for SNCU is being made at the district headquarters hospital in Paralakhemundi under the National Health Mission at an investment of around Rs 10 crore, Jena said.
"The building is almost complete. It is expected to start functioning in the next six months after electrification and installation of some necessary instruments," said the CDMO.