877 newborns, 61 mothers died as women refused hospital delivery during Covid pandemic: Meghalaya govt to NHRC

During the time the deaths had taken place, it was mandatory to segregate Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 patients, hence testing was done to avoid the spread of the disease, especially in hospital wards, it said.

Even though women “abstained” from visiting health facilities, ANMs and ASHAs were regularly monitoring their health through home visits and counselling, urging them to visit hospitals during delivery, the report said.

Taking cognisance of the high number of deaths, the state government had launched a “rescue mission” and health teams were constituted to identify all pregnant women and register them on a mobile application to prevent such incidents, the state government said.

The state administration said that besides the pandemic, “the underlying and often unaddressed socio-economic and gender dimensions” added to the high number of maternal and child deaths in Meghalaya.

High-risk pregnant women were tracked and none of them are allowed to deliver at home and asked to get admitted to hospitals at least two weeks before their due dates, the report said.

The “rescue mission” was launched alongside Covid-19 management. Districts were asked to ensure 100 per cent ANC (Ante Natal Care) registration for early treatment and prevention of maternal mortality, and several strategies were adopted, it added.