Deliveries at home still prevail in Karnal

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, May 28

Despite tall claims of the Health Department, the delivery at home still prevails in the district as around 6.6 per cent of the total deliveries in the district happen at homes, which shows that the people are still depending on mid-wives.

As per the data of the Health Department as many as 30279 deliveries took place in the district during last financial year, out of which a major chunk of 52.4 per cent deliveries at 15875 were conducted at government institutions, while 40.9 per cent at 12397 were conducted at private institutions. The rest of deliveries of 2007 were done by mid-wives.

In March month this year as many as 120 deliveries were done at home, out of which 64 were conducted in Karnal segment area, while 28 at Gharaunda CHC area, 13 at Indri CHC area, 9 at Assandh CHC area, 3 at Nilokehri CHC area, 2 at Nissing CHC area and one at Ballah CHC area. Deliveries at home in Karnal segment is also a challenge for the department as most of the area in segment is urban.

Due to these deliveries at home, the department is still far from its target of 100 per cent institutional deliveries. Though, it has improved its performance of institutional deliveries from last year which was 92.49 per cent and now it was 93.37 per cent, the sources say.

When inquired about the reasons behind the deliveries at home, the shocking revelations were found that the people living in remote and slum areas are more dependent on mid-wives for deliveries and considered it to be much safer than going to hospital.

A health worker said on the condition of anonymity, that some of women living in slum areas were introvert as they don’t want to go to other person and instead have their deliveries done at home. In some of the cases, it was also found that the mid-wives influence the family for getting their deliveries to them, he said.

“Government is providing all the facilities free of cost for institutional deliveries including operation, medicine, tests, blood transfusion and the transport facilities, but we are still 6.6 per cent from the 100 per cent of institutional deliveries target,” said Dr. Rajinder Kumar, deputy civil surgeon (Family Planning).