Achieving safe motherhood with limited resources
Bhardwaj, N.
Indian Journal of Maternal and Child Health Official Publication of Indian Maternal and Child Health Association 10(1): 1-3
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 0970-8928 PMID: 12295281 Document Number: 283493
The RCH program in India is facing a big challenge to its effort to promote safe motherhood in the face of limited resources. They have turned this challenge into an opportunity to become more self-reliant and to utilize existing resources. The focus of this study is on the traditional birth attendants (TBAs), mothers-in-law, husbands, and local leaders. The role of TBAs should be redefined for home births in order to make the mothers safer during childbirth. The role of doctors and obstetricians should also be redefined so that they can handle complicated labor in home delivery settings rather than relying on technical skills that are suitable only for conducting normal deliveries at the district level. The mothers-in-law and husbands should be educated in helping TBAs to make effective referrals and arrange transport. Meanwhile, local leaders should maintain liaisons with existing primary and secondary health center services in order to help the community during its needy hours. Culture plays an important role in safe motherhood, and many good practices and simple remedies can be learned from it. In addition, the existing health infrastructure should be strengthened by improving relationships between the community and health workers in order to improve the quality of service and establish an effective referral system. With these principles in mind, a comprehensive program for safe motherhood has been devised in the state of Maharashtra. A vigilance committee, which will work toward bringing a positive change in the health situation of women and children in India, has also been proposed.