Safe delivery programme in Bangladesh: the role of TBAs
Chowdhury, M.
Health for the Millions 22(1): 23-24
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0970-8685 PMID: 12347746 Document Number: 331567
Safe delivery is one of the most important interventions in primary health care, a good indicator for monitoring the quality of health care services, and something which saves the lives of both mothers and children. It has been shown in some studies that when a mother dies, her baby also soon dies. On the other hand, when a baby dies, the mother soon gets pregnant. Such repeated pregnancy taxes the health of the mother to such an extent that it threatens both her life and that of the fetus. In Bangladesh, untrained traditional birth attendants (TBAs) are responsible for 95% of deliveries annually. Some blame the TBAs for the prevailing high levels of maternal and infant mortality. The majority of such deaths, however, occur during the prenatal period. The TBA can manage routine antenatal care and be the central link between the community and health referral points for women who have developed fatal conditions. Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK) has included TBAs in the mainstream of its health care services for 20 years, providing appropriate training for aseptic and safe delivery. GK TBAs are also taught to recognize high-risk mothers.