Non-institutional deliveries still in practice in Muktsar district; Lambi tops the chart with 49 such births recorded this year

Non-institutional deliveries still in practice in Muktsar district

Lambi tops the chart with 49 such births recorded this year

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, August 30

Even though the health department is taking a number of steps to promote institutional deliveries (births), non-institutional ones are still taking place in Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s home district Muktsar.

Data procured from the district administration revealed that till July end this year, 193 non-institutional deliveries took place across the district. Of these, the maximum (49) were reported in the Chief Minister’s home turf Lambi. This is followed by Alamwala with 43 non-institutional deliveries, Chak Sherewala with 40, Malout 25, Doda 20, Muktsar with nine and Gidderbaha with seven.

Even if one looks at figures of July, then too Lambi tops the chart with 12 non-institutional deliveries. This is followed by Chak Sherewala and Muktsar each with nine non-institutional deliveries, Alamwala with eight, Doda seven, Malout six and Gidderbaha with two. In July, a total of 53 non-institutional deliveries have come to the notice of the health department.

Sources said the district health authorities were also running behind the target of institutional deliveries. Of the total 2,160 institutional deliveries fixed as the target, only 1,749 could be done till July this year in the district.

Surprisingly, the state government provides financial assistance to below poverty line (BPL) families for non-institutional deliveries, which is a major reason behind this trend. For the non-institutional delivery in rural areas, the family is given Rs 500 and in urban areas, the family is given Rs 600 under the direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme.

A senior doctor, preferring anonymity, said on the one hand the state government was taking steps to promote institutional deliveries, on the other, it was providing monetary assistance to families for non-institutional deliveries. “This practice must be stopped. Only then can institutional deliveries be promoted. For institutional deliveries, the state government provides free transportation to hospitals and return to their houses. Further, medicines and institutional deliveries are free of cost,” said the doctor.

When contacted, Dr Jagjivan Lal, Civil Surgeon, Muktsar, said, “We are spreading awareness among people about the benefits of institutional deliveries. It is safe for both the mother and the baby. Efforts are being made to promote institutional deliveries.”

Courtesy: The Tribune