Institutional deliveries on the rise in villages: Varanasi CMO

More than 3,000 model VHND (Village Health and Nutrition Day) are being organised in Varanasi in which pregnant women and infants are being examined as well as vaccinated.

Chief medical officer Dr Sandeep Chaudhary said that there has been a significant increase in institutional deliveries, delivery by operation (cesarean) and effective treatment of low weight babies. These efforts have significantly reduced infant mortality rate (IMR), maternal mortality rate (MMR), and neonatal mortality rate (NMR). He said that more than 3000 model VHND (Village Health and Nutrition Day) are being organised in the district.

Also, the VHND sites have been shifted to more accessible and suitable places and infants are being taken care of by better NBSU (Newborn Stabilization Unit) at major delivery sites.

A total of 10 FRUs (First Referral Units) have been established including Sir Sundar Lal Hospital (BHU) for complicated deliveries. Also,12 new MNCUs (Maternal and Newborn Care Units) have been established for the care of low-weight babies.

Facilities of modern equipment and medicines have been provided at more than 200 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (health sub centres), he added.

Home-based newborn care has been effectively ensured through ASHA workers. HRP (High Risk Pregnancy) tracking by ANM and ASHA is constantly improving. Surgery and delivery rooms have been improved as per the standards of the Lakshya programme. All indicators are being continuously monitored weekly.

The CMO said that institutional deliveries have increased by more than 60 percent in the last three years. While there were 55,132 institutional deliveries in the year 2020-21, the number increased to 78,178 institutional deliveries in the year 2023-24.

Caesarean deliveries have increased by more than 700 percent. There were 2,705 complicated deliveries in the year 20-21, 18,351 cesarean operations were done in the year 23-24, he said.

Continuous tracking of women with high-risk pregnancy is being done. More than 5,500 have been treated every year through effective management of low-weight babies.

Varanasi has consistently been ranked among the top 5 districts of the state in Janani Suraksha Yojana and Matru Vandana Yojana. In this way this initiative demonstrates an exemplary model for improving maternal and childcare.