Poor healthcare for mothers leading to Melghat infant deaths

According to a survey conducted by PREM in 44 villages of Melghat region (Chikaldhara block), lack of proper health care both by their families and the primary health centres run by the government, has resulted in increasing number of tribal women giving birth to malnourished children.

Inadequate basic health care, lack of elementary education and intensive land alienation of the indigenous people have been cited as the main reasons for the poor condition of the Korku tribals inhabiting the Melghat region.Improper childrearing practices, poor diet intake by the pregnant women, early marriages, poor spacing of children, health education and awareness, lack of adequate income and purchasing power have been found to be the main reasons for the precarious state of child health in Melghat.

The survey team comprising Christopher and Anita Brien found malnutrtion among the pregnant women in the selected hamlets to be quite high. They were found to be eating less in the 7th, 8th and 9th month of pregnancy; at times even starving. The reason being a community belief that if the woman eats well during pregnancy, the child in the womb will put on weight leading to problems in delivery.

According to the survey report, a significant portion of the neo-natal deaths can be attributed to poor birth practices at Melghat. The survey found delivery rooms to be generally unhygenic with lack of proper care to save the new-born child from various infections.

A sick new-born is usually not rushed to the hospital and instead referred to thebhumkas or vaidyas who use local medicines for treatment. A delay in correct medication affects the child’s health badly leading to death.The study found that the health of children deteriorated in monsoon and winter. A large number of children in Melghat die of water-borne diseases including diarrheoa and dysentery with pneumonia being the major killer in the winter months. Malnutrition deaths mostly occur in the pre-sowing season when the food security dwindles.

Keeping in mind the poor state of children and women in the region, PREM has introduced precautionary measures to check the untimely deaths. Women are being encouraged to go for early registration of pregnancy at the PHCs in their area. Awareness about growth monitoring for the pregnant women and vulnerable children is being created. Prem is also educating women about the importance of timely breast feeding.