Jajpur: Infant and maternal mortality rates have acquired an alarming trend in this district despite the presence of a host of schemes for mother and child healthcare, a report said here Saturday.
The intensity of the problem could be gauged from the fact that over 26 pregnant women and 176 infants have died this year alone. It came to the fore during a review meeting of social welfare department and implementation of Mission Shakti at the collectorate here Friday. Collector Ranjan Kumar Das asked the social welfare department to oversee proper implementation of each and every programme and scheme and remain accountable for it.
Earlier, the state government claimed a reduction in maternal and infant mortality rates in the state over last 14 years. However, the reality is otherwise as despite the presence of various schemes and the Centre’s ambitious National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), the spiraling rate of maternal and infant mortality rates has remained unchecked here.
Reports said 96,142 children have been registered in Jajpur district so far. While 12,269 infants were born this year, this month recorded births of 2,020 infants. Out of this, 176 newborns died this year. Among them, 25 died only this month. This year also, out of 31,722 pregnant women, 26 died due to various reasons.
The Centre and the state government have launched a host of schemes for mother and child healthcare. They included Janani Express, Janani Sishu Surakhsya, Sishu Mela and Mamata Yojana. A mobile health unit is working in the interior regions of the district.
As many as 2,806 Anganwadi centres are working in the district. These centres are required to establish connections between the villages and hospitals and provide proper healthcare to pregnant women. These centres are managed by 2,728 workers and 2,693 helpers. However, 78 posts of workers and 67 posts of helpers are lying vacant at these Anganwadi centres. This has happened due to pendencey of cases in various courts.
This apart, there ASHA workers have been appointed to provide healthcare services to pregnant women. The state government has paid the first installment of Mamata Yojana to over 46,816 pregnant women and the second installment to 23,853 pregnant women.
The state government has also made arrangement to provide sattu through Anganwadi centres to remove malnutrition among pregnant women and children but supply of sub-standard sattu had derailed its objectives.
ADM Mihir Prasad Mohanty, sub-collector Narayan Chandra Dhal, district social welfare officer Manjula Rath, CDPO and district coordinator of Mission Shakti attended the meeting.
PNN
