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Lack of contraceptive awareness at the root of Melghat malnourishment

Back-to-back pregnancies taking a heavy toll on women, children.

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Melghat in Amravati has been in the news for its high infant and maternal mortality rate. But what has come as a revelation is the reason for it, and it’s not just malnourished children.

Doctors who have been working in this area for more than 15 years say that the rising rate is because of lack of awareness among people about contraceptives — condoms and pills. Due to this, there isn’t enough space between two pregnancies which is resulting in the child or children already born not being breast-fed properly and not getting sufficient nutrients as well.

NGO Khoj, which has taken up the issue of severe malnourishment among children in Melghat, secured this information from the state via an RTI application.

Most people living in Melghat have three to four children. The state health department has been launching special initiatives to reduce the infant mortality rate (death of children between the ages of 0 and six) but it continues to be alarming. It has implemented different modules to get success on this front and is continuing to do so.

Dr Ashish Satav has been working towards reducing the rates in the region for over 15 years through the Mahan (Meditation, Aids, Health, Addiction and Nutrition) Trust, which runs a general and eye hospital, along with his ophthalmologist wife Dr Kavita Satav.

He was recently presented with the Real Award, which is given by Save the Children NGO for working in the child health field.

He said, “These people need to know the importance of contraceptives and be aware that they are available in health centres. Their ignorance is resulting in back-to-back pregnancies. Besides the child not getting proper care, even the mother isn’t mentally fit to provide the required care to her first child with her becoming pregnant the second time four months after the first birth.”

“All this ultimately leads to children suffering from serious ailments like malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea. We already had a dialogue with the health services department. There is a need to create awareness among the people about contraceptives; that will play a major role in the women’s life and in reducing the infant mortality rate.”

According to experts, there should be a minimum gap of two years between two pregnancies.

Dr Rajashri Katke, superintendent of Cama hospital, said, “A two-year gap between two pregnancies is advised so that the mother can become fitter and replenish the iron and calcium in her body, essential during pregnancy and delivery. Back-to-back pregnancies only add to the burden on the woman’s health.”

Echoing Katke’s views, Dr Samir Dalwai, senior paediatrician and member of Young Parliamentarians’ Citizens Alliance Against Malnutrition, said, “One of the significant contributors to severe acute malnourishment is reduced spacing between births; it leads to higher incidence of lower birth weight and pre-term delivery. Awareness and availability of methods for birth control and planning are sure methods to decrease the incidence of malnutrition in children.”

Dr Shashikant Jadhav, deputy director, Amravati, health services department, said, “We are doing a better job in this area now. There will be enough stock of contraceptives in all our health centres in Melghat.”

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