Lok Sabha Question No. 2257 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-29
Subject: Pregnancy/Delivery Deaths
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: PANKAJ CHOWDHARY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2257 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29 TH JULY, 2016

## PREGNANCY/DELIVERY D EATHS

## 2257. SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether Government is aware of the increasing number of pregnancy/delivery deaths across the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  Primary  Health  Centres (PHCs)  functioning  in  States nd  UTs  areshort  of facilities/ equipments for performing safer deliveries, if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the steps taken by the Government in this regard to bring down delivery deaths?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE )

- (a): As per the latest report of the Registrar General of India, Sample Registration S (RGI- SRS),  Maternal  Mortality  Ratio  (MMR)  of  India  has  shown  a  decline  from  212  per 100,000 live births in the period 2007 - 09 to 167 per 100,000 live births in the perio d 2011 - 13. India's rate of decline of MMR between 2007 - 09 and 2011 - 13 is 5.7%. If the MMR declines at the same pace, India will achieve the Millennium Development Goal(MDG) target of  an MMR of 139 per 100,000 live births.
- (b): Does not arise in view of the above.
- (c): Under National Health Mission(NHM), funds are allocated for strengthening of  Prima Health Centers(PHCs) with priority being given to Delivery points  in terms of infrastruc requisite equipment's for conducting  safe deliveries as per gap analysis and specific proposals given by the respective States/UTs in their Annual Project Implementation Plans.
- (d): Under  the  National  Health  Mission,  the  key  steps  taken  by  Government  of  India address the issue of maternal deaths and to accelerate the pace of reduction of MMR across all states including SC/ST are as below:
- Promotion of institutional deliveries through Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) wherein incentive  is being given to all   BPL/SC/ST pregnant women delivering in Govern ment health facilities/accredited private institutions  in both High performing State(H Low Performing State(LPS)  regardless of age of mother and number of children.
- Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK) entitles all pregnant women delivering in public health institutions to absolutely free and no expense delivery, including ca section. Similar entitlements have been put in place for all sick infants accessin health institutions for treatment.
- Operationalization of Sub - Centers, Primary Health Centers, Community Health Centers and District Hospitals for providing 24x7 basic and comprehensive obstetric care.
- Capacity  building  of  health  care  providers  in  basic  and  comprehensive  obs tetric  care with a strategic initiative 'Dakshata' to enable service providers in providing high quality services during childbirth at the institutions .
- Mother  and  Child  Protection  Card  in  collaboration  with  the  Ministry  of  Women  an Child Development to monitor service delivery for mothers and children.
- Mother and Child Tracking System is being implemented to ensure antenatal, intrana and postnatal care along -with immunization services.
- Engagement  of  more  than  9.15  lakh  Accredited  Social  Health  Acti vists  (ASHAs)  to generate demand and facilitate accessing of health care services by the community.
- Village Health and Nutrition Days in rural areas as an outreach activity, for prov maternal and child health services.
- Identifying the severely anaemic cases of pregnant women at sub centres and PHCs for their timely management.
- Operationalization  of  Safe  Abortion  Services  and  Reproductive  Tract  Infections Sexually Transmitted Infections (RTI/STI) at health facilities with a focus on 'Deliver y Points'.
- Maternal Death Review (MDR) is being implemented across the country both at facilit and in the community. The purpose is to take corrective action at appropriate leve improve the quality of obstetric care.
- Establishing  Maternal  and Child  Health  (MCH)  Wings at  high  caseload  facilities  to improve the quality of care provided to mothers and children.
- Under  National  Iron  Plus Initiative  (NIPI),  through  life  cycle  approach,  age  and  dos specific IFA supplementation programme is being implemented.
- To tackle the problem of anaemia due to malaria particularly in pregnant women a children,  Long  Lasting  Insecticide  Nets  (LLINs)  a nd  Insecticide  Treated  Bed  Nets (ITBNs) are being distributed in endemic areas.
- Setting up of Skill Labs with earmarked skill stations for different training pro enhance the quality of training in the states.
- A new initiative of 'Prevention of Post - Partum Hemorrhage (PPH) through Community based  advance  distribution  of  Misoprostol'  by  ASHAs/ANMs  for  high  home  delivery districts has been implemented.
- Newer interventions to reduce maternal mortality and y- morbidit Diagnosis & management  of  Gestational  Diabetes  Mellitus,  Hypothyroidism  during  pregnancy, Training of General Surgeons for performing Caesarean Section, Calcium supplementation during pregnancy and lactation, De - worming during pregnancy, Maternal Near Miss Review, Screening for Syphilis during pregnancy  and  Dakshata guidelines for strengthening intra - partum care.
- The Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) has been introduced with the aim of conducting special ANC checkups for pregnant wome n (in their 2 nd / 3 rd Trimesters  of  pregnancy)  in  the  country  on 9th  of  every  month by Medical Officer/OBGY  specialist  in  the  government  health  facilities  and alsothrough  Private sector on voluntary basis .

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