Imphal, April 23: It is a common sight to see boards with the slogan 'Healthy mother for healthy child' pasted on the wall of all the health institutions of the Government.

However, condition of the maternity wards in all these health institutions which are there to ensure the health of the mother and the child is really pathetic, to say the least.

Among the various programmes on public health services being implemented under the Health and Family Welfare and the Rural Health Mission of the Government of India as well as under the Family and Welfare Department of the State Government, due importance has also been accorded to the issues related to the health of the mother and the child.

Under the Government of Manipur, there is one State Hospital, seven district hospitals, 16 community health centres, 72 primary health centres, 420 primary health sub-centres, 11 fast referral units and 14 dispensaries.

Besides this, there is the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences under the NEC.

On how these health institutions have been taking care of issues related to the health of the mother and the child in Manipur, an official of the State Directorate of Health Services disclosed that among all the existing health institutions in the State, only JN Hospital and Churachandpur District Hospital can make it to the grade in looking after the issues related to mother and child.

The official further disclosed that there are in all five Gynaecologists in JN Hospital, two each in the District Hospitals of Bishnupur, Chandel and Churachandpur, one each in Thoubal, Senapati and Tamenglong District Hospitals while there is no Gynaecologist at the Ukhrul District Hospital.

There should be atleast three Gynaecologists in each of the District Hospitals.

But there is no adequate number of Gynae specialists in these Government health today as most of them have joined institutions like RIMS which have better facilities while some others have taken voluntary retirement or prefer running private clinics.

Over and above this, the number of Gynae Specialists passing out from medical institutions every year is very low, the official observed.

Although it is mandatory to have at least one Gynae Specialist in each of the 16 Community Health Centres, there is no Gynae Specialist in any of these Community Health Centre as of now.

Apart from normal delivery cases, there should also be facilities for caesarian operation for delivery cases in all the District Hospitals and the Community Health Centres.

But there are no such facilities in any of the public health institutions with exception to RIMS Hospital, JN Hospital and Churachandpur district.

Among the hospitals at the sub-divisional level, Moreh Sub-Divisional Hospital, Kangpokpi SubDivisional Hospital and Jiribam Sub-Divisional Hospital, Moreh Sub-Divisional Hospital have one Gynae Specialist.

Although a trained mid-wife can easily assist in normal delivery of child either at home or at a primary health centre or at a primary health sub-centre or at dispensary it becomes a matter of grave concern if such simple facility for normal delivery is not available in these Government health institutions despite the thrust and the awareness being given for the pregnant mothers to come to the Government Hospitals and other health institutions for delivery cases.

Elaborating on the importance of admitting pregnant mothers for delivery at the Government health institutions, a senior Gynaecologist of JN Hospital said possible health complications of the mother and the child can be avoided if the delivery is done in the Government hospitals.

In accordance with the National Family Health survey, in Manipur out of every 1000 child born, atleast three mothers die during child birth.

As per the World Health Organisation report, out of every 100 delivery cases, at least 15 pregnant mothers suffer complication during child birth, at least 10 of them suffer haemorrhage and at least five of them need to undergo operation for delivering their child.

In JN Hospital, at present there are only five Gynaecologists and 16 beds for delivery cases, so the hospital has not been able to cater to the needs of all the women admitted for delivery cases in the hospital, an official manning the maternity ward of the hospital informed.

On the existing condition of Chandel District Hospital, convenor of Chandel District Women Committee said although there are two Gynae Specialists, both are rarely present at the hospital.

At the most they come to the hospital twice a week.

So most of the normal delivery cases in the district are being assisted by the local midwife and there are many instances in which pregnant women die while being taken to Kakching or Imphal for treatment in case of complication.

Jayenti Keishing of Ukhrul District Women Committee of Ukhrul District Hospital said the said hospital is as good as non-existent and the poor villagers of the district could not expect any medical help from the hospital.

Rich people can afford to go to private hospital, but majority of the poor people and especially the women are facing lot of difficulties including death and other complication during child birth, she said.

An official of the Churachandpur District Hospital informed that as there is separate maternity ward of the hospital, a private room has been taken on rent for the purpose.

The private room serving as the maternity ward can accommodate only 8 beds.

Four more beds are being placed in the corridor, thus totalling the number of beds in the hospital to 12, although the actual number of beds should be 20 beds.

No arrangement for additional beds is possible due to lack of space.

On an average, 100 pregnant women are admitted to the hospital for delivery in a week.

But there is no adequate staff and other necessary infrastructures.

The construction of the hospital building including the maternity ward was started last year but the work has been stalled and there is no sign of any resumption of the work. Maintaining that the existing facilities for child delivery in the Government health institutions is not enough and really unfortunate, the official of the Family Welfare Department noted that the State Government should pay serious attention to this regard.

A concerted effort is also necessary in order to achieve the target of the National Rural Health Mission of 70 percent of the delivery cases at the health institutions and the remaining 30 percent by the trained mid-wives at home and reduced the number of death of three women out of every 1000 during child birth to one.

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