Hubli:
Rural pregnant women face several disadvantages compared to their urban counterparts. They are more likely to receive delayed or inadequate parental care, factors that contribute to higher infant mortality. In Dharwad, a group of gynecologists hope to better their lot by voluntarily offering their services.
Karnataka State Obstetrics and Gynecological Association , which also includes doctors of Hubli’s Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) hospital, has initiated a unique pilot programme. The three-month programme ensures obstetrical care in rural areas, and enables healthy and full-term pregnancies for rural women in Dharwad district.
Apart from high infant mortality, many districts in north Karnataka have also registered high number of malnourished children. The region has also witnessed high incidence of deaths of women who have given birth to malnourished babies in Gulbarga, Bidar, Koppal, Raichur and other parts of North-Karnataka and Hyderabad-Karnatak region. In Dharwad district, around 25 such postnatal maternal deaths have been recorded since January.
To educate mothers on how to take care of their yet-to-be-born child and themselves during pregnancy, teams of gynecologists have decided to tour all primary health centres (PHC) of the district. Each team will take turns for the visits on the first and third Thursday of every month, without depending on any aid or benefit from the government.
“Around 150 gynecologists from Hubli and Dharwad are members of the association, and we have chosen 25 specialist doctors from twin cities to visit 33 PHCs of Dharwad district. From January 3 we will initiate this programme in the entire state. Despite several attempts of the government, the number of maternal deaths has not come down. So we decided to do something,” said Dr M G Hiremath, state president of the Karnataka State Obstetrics and Gynecological Association.
FIRST TIME IN STATE
Dr N M Angadi, district health officer, Dharwad, said that there is only one specialist gynecologist for district hospitals. One doctor can’t manage the line of deliveries that come up and can’t visit every PHC of the district. Dharwad district association of obstetrics and gynecologists has come forward to help the pregnant women in the district’s villages. This is the first time in the state that any association of doctors has come forward to join the hands of government hospitals, he added.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Hubli / by J Abbas Mulla, TNN / December 11th, 2012