New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has asked private hospitals, empanelled under Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), to make public the number of Caesarean sections (C-sections) and normal deliveries performed by them.
The ministry has taken up action after reports of unwarranted increase in caesarian deliveries in private hospitals, in several states emerged.
Replying to a letter by Women and Child Welfare Minister Maneka Gandhi on the matter, Union Health Minister JP Nadda said “All private hospitals empanelled under CGHS have been directed by Health Ministry to display data of deliveries through C-Section vis-à-vis normal deliveries in the hospital, at the reception area.”
States had been provided reports on the adverse impact of unwarranted C-Sections and were directed to conduct C-Section delivery only when it was the last option, he added.
According to health ministry officials, the Federation of Obstetric and Gynecological Societies of India (FOGSI), which has around 300 members from Orissa, has alerted states about the harmful effects of unwarranted C-Sections. The states have been directed to conduct periodical prescription audit of the health facilities specifically on this issue.
Notably, BJD MP from Balasore Rabindra Kumar Jena, during the last Monsoon session of the Parliament had raised this issue of rampant misuse of caesarian deliveries, mostly by private players.
“In the last two decades there has been an increase of 800 per cent in caesarian deliveries. While the same accounts to 10 per cent in government hospitals but in private hospitals it accounts for 300 per cent,” he said August 4 last year in the parliament. PNN
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