Belagavi: A special program will be announced next month to address the issue of unnecessary cesarean deliveries in the state.
Responding to a starred question from MLC Jagadev Guttedar in the Legislative Council, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao revealed that 46 percent of all deliveries in Karnataka are cesarean, with the rate being 36 percent in government hospitals and 61 percent in private hospitals.
He outlined several measures being taken in the state to promote natural deliveries and reduce cesarean procedures.
Rao said that to curb unnecessary cesarean surgeries, cesarean audits are being conducted in every district and taluk hospital. These audits carefully examine the necessity and avoidability of each cesarean surgery, and measures are being taken to prevent unnecessary cesarean procedures. Also, review meetings are being held every month at the district level to prevent unnecessary cesarean surgeries.
To curb unnecessary cesarean deliveries, the Health and Family Welfare Department in Karnataka is strengthening taluk-level hospitals to provide 24x7 maternity services. These hospitals are now equipped to handle natural deliveries during nighttime as well as perform cesarean surgeries when necessary. This initiative is expected to reduce referrals from taluk to district hospitals and significantly limit unnecessary cesarean procedures, the minister said.
Of the 88 approved mother and child hospitals, 60 are currently operational, offering 24x7 comprehensive maternity services with trained specialists and dedicated staff to promote natural births.
To increase natural deliveries and reduce cesarean sections, the state government has launched Midwifery program. Under this initiative, healthcare workers receive 18 months of training in Midwifery, gaining expertise to assist with natural deliveries in MLCU (Maternal and Child Care Unit) delivery rooms. Currently, training for trainers has been completed at Vani Vilas Hospital in Bengaluru and the Fernandez Foundation in Hyderabad, and 18-month training for healthcare workers is being provided in Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Belagavi.
At the Cheluvamba Hospital in Mysuru, 12 months of training for 1,830 healthcare workers has been completed, and the remaining 6 months of training will conclude soon. By July 2025, the MLCU (Maternal and Child Care Unit) will begin operations at the district hospitals in Hassan, Mandya, and Mysuru.
At Vani Vilas Hospital in Bengaluru, 25 healthcare workers from the Bengaluru division will begin NPM training in July 2024. The 18-month training will be completed by December 2025, after which the MLCU (Maternal and Child Care Unit) will begin operations at the district hospitals in Kolar, Bengaluru, Davanagere, and Tumkur.
In Belagavi district, 18-month training has been initiated for a total of 24 healthcare workers. After the training, MLCU (Maternal and Child Care Unit) will be established in Belagavi, Hubballi, and Gangavathi.
Since 2018, a 3-day skill development training program is being provided to obstetricians and midwives working in the state to enhance skills related to childbirth care and post-delivery care. The minister stated that this training has helped in controlling cesarean surgeries.
