Attendants can now prescribe during childbirth

As a prelude to the Rural Health Mission to be inaugurated in the Capital tomorrow, the Ministry today released guidelines for health workers to manage childbirth in primary health centres in rural areas.

Faced with a high maternal mortality rate (mmr) of 407, and a goal of reducing it to 100 per lakh by 2010, these guidelines, for the first time, empower skilled birth attendants to treat mothers. ‘‘The guidelines for ante-natal care and skilled attendance at birth have been developed to assist the health personnel to provide the requisite services,’’ said P.K. Hota, the Health Secretary.

‘‘The National Maternal Benefit Scheme was a non-starter but it made us realise that money has to be spent on safe motherhood. Thus, under the new Mission , the Government has earmarked Rs 1,200 for delivery to women from BPL families,’’ he added.