Rajasthan Health dept reviews records of over 1 lakh pregnant women
Jaipur, July 17
Amid reports of new mothers dying in different cities of the state allegedly after cesarean section surgeries, the Rajasthan Health Department has reviewed the records of 1,06,264 pregnant women and conducted case-wise assessments of 15,504 high-risk pregnancies during the first two days of its five-day Special Intensive Screening Campaign aimed at strengthening maternal healthcare services across the state.
Launched on Thursday under the direction of State Medical and Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar, the statewide campaign seeks to ensure timely antenatal care (ANC), early identification of high-risk pregnancies, and safe institutional deliveries for every expectant mother.
To assess the quality of maternal health services, health officials also carried out real-time verification and interacted with 6,794 pregnant women across Rajasthan.
Rajasthan Medical and Health Department Principal Secretary, Gayatri Rathore, said the campaign is being monitored at multiple levels, from district administrations to block and field-level health teams.
The drive is being implemented through a network of 10,049 Community Health Officers (CHOs), 22,355 Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), and 54,431 ASHA Sahyoginis, who are conducting outreach across villages and remote habitations.
During the first two days, 3,808 health institutions were inspected to evaluate maternal and child health services, antenatal care, record maintenance, and service quality.
Deficiencies identified during inspections have been communicated to the concerned institutions, with directions for immediate corrective action.
As part of the campaign, Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition (MCHN) sessions were organised across Anganwadi centres and health facilities throughout the state.
The campaign focuses on achieving 100 per cent ANC registration, ensuring a minimum of four antenatal check-ups for every pregnant woman, timely identification and tracking of high-risk pregnancies, effective referrals, and safe institutional deliveries.
The department is uploading inspection reports to a dedicated supervision portal on the same day, enabling real-time monitoring of healthcare services.
Case-wise reviews of high-risk pregnancies are being conducted in coordination with ANMs, while district authorities have been instructed to ensure timely referrals and advance planning for institutional deliveries, particularly for women in their third trimester.
Regular review meetings at the district, block, and sector levels have also been mandated to monitor the identification, treatment, referral, and delivery preparedness of high-risk pregnant women, ensuring that no expectant mother is deprived of essential maternal healthcare services.
— IANS
Reader Comments
While the campaign sounds promising, I hope it's not just a one-time exercise. Regular monitoring and accountability are key. We've seen many such drives fizzle out after initial enthusiasm. Real change requires sustained effort, especially in high-risk cases.
Good to see the government taking action after the reported deaths. But why wait for tragedies to happen? Preventive measures should always be in place. Anyway, hope this campaign reaches every village and saves lives. 👍
The involvement of ASHA workers and ANMs is crucial. They are the backbone of rural healthcare in India. But they need better training and resources. Inspecting 3,808 institutions in two days is impressive, but quality over quantity matters. Hope the deficiencies found are actually fixed.
Real-time verification and uploading reports to a portal the same day sounds efficient. Transparent monitoring can help. But let's be honest, in many government hospitals, basic facilities like clean water and electricity are still missing. Focus on those first. 😞
My cousin gave birth in a government hospital last year. The care was good, but the follow-up was lacking. These campaigns are necessary, but they must be linked to long-term maternal health programs. Pregnant women need support even after delivery. Hope this campaign sets a new standard.
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