India’s mothers need protection too

Every seven minutes a woman succumbs to complications arising during pregnancy, states a recent UNICEF report. Almost 78,000 women dying of pregnancy and childbirth related problems in the country is not just a figure but yet another indication of the already distressing plight of women in the country.

City NGOs, gynaecologists and obstetricians say that the report doesn’t come as a stark surprise.

According to Ashwini Bhalerao Gandhi, consultant gynaecologist, the incidence of high mortality rate has been a challenge to us for a long time. “Though maternal mortality is not a major problem in cities like Mumbai, the situation in rural areas is not the same. There is lack of infrastructure and appropriate medical facilities,” she says.

However, Gandhi feels that the most important drawback is the fact that the decision making power does not rest with the women as “she has to wait for her husband or in-laws to take her to the hospital.”

One of the prime reason for maternal deaths in rural areas is cited to child marriages, in cities early marriages, domestic violence and malnutrition are issues that confront women in having a healthy and safe delivery. Even if an undernourished woman survives a complicated pregnancy, her woes don’t end there.

The absence of proper post natal care makes the chances of her survival minimal. “Post delivery, when the body has not recovered fully and the haemoglobin level is low, the mother is more prone to diseases and infections,” says Shefali Pandey, gynaecologist and obstetrician.

While there are NGOs that work for the cause of women, there are only a few who aid pregnant women, especially those who come from the underprivileged sections of society. Raheen Jumani working with an NGO says, “We try to reach out to the pregnant women by counselling them during pregnancy and pursuing the counselling sessions even after child birth. We also take them for regular medical check ups.”

In the adult education programme of the NGO, the peer educators provide the women with health related information and also give them details about the nearest medical centres.

FOGSI (Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India) is also one such organisation that not only encourages research in the field of Obstetrics and Gynaecology but also promotes services for betterment of health of the community as well as maternal and child health.

‘Saving lives’ is FOGSI’s theme this year wherein they aim to reach out to the rural masses by setting up medical aid camps in the rural areas. CN Purandare, president of FOGSI says of their endeavour, “With 23,000 gynaecologists and obstetricians as part of our force, each of the 202 societies will adopt a village wherein they will put up the medical assistance camps once a month.”

Commenting on the seriousness of the UNICEF report, he feels that the number of women succumbing to maternal deaths is abysmal. “When 300 people lose their lives in a terrorist attack it is understandably a big thing, but when 300 women die every day it is indeed not a small thing,” he says.

Narayan Ganpat Sawant, president of Astitva feels that the root cause of most women related problems can be traced back to the social structure of the society. “Women are always regarded as second priority, not only by the society but also by women themselves and to bring about a change in this attitude is a long drawn process.”

More efforts at the grassroot level are required, as Amu Abraham from Women’s Centre stated. “The commercialisation of the health services has also not worked towards the advantage of many. Women’s health should be given priority and this is the need of the hour.” she added.