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Health Minister’s Decision How to Save Women. Dr. Dileep Mavalankar IIM Ahmedbad Magdegene Rosenmoller IESE Business School. Minister goes to address FOGSI Conference in Agra. History of Taj - a maternal death Minister reminded of the fact that even today 100,000 women die in child-birth
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Health Minister’s DecisionHow to Save Women Dr. Dileep Mavalankar IIM Ahmedbad Magdegene Rosenmoller IESE Business School
Minister goes to address FOGSI Conference in Agra • History of Taj - a maternal death • Minister reminded of the fact that even today 100,000 women die in child-birth • Minister promises to do something to improve MMR - • Calls for a meeting in dept on return
India Basic Health and MM Data • 1 billion people, 600 + districts… • Large health infrastructure - DH, CHC, PHC, SC…. • Many public health programs - Family welfare, MCH, • Substantial private sector health care
MM Rate data • MMR estimate 400-500 per 100,000 LB • Nationally 100,000 mothers die • 20% of global maternal deaths. • MMR has not declined in recent past - may have increased • NFHS I & II data show rural MMR of 449 and 619 for 1992 and 1998
India’s policy commitment to MMR reduction • MMR reduction is a health objective for many years • Health policy 1983 - below 200 by yr 2000 • Nat Population Policy 2000 and Nat Health Policy 2002 - MMR of 100 by 2010 • Tenth five year plan: MMR 200 by 2007
Programs for Maternal Health • Since 1960 MH programs • MH important part of Primary Health Care • Development of cadre of ANMs 130,000 for MH • TBA training, antenatal care, TT immunization • by mid 1980s program attention got diverted to immunization and child survival.
Change in Strategy • International evidence and opinion changed - TBA training, ANC not effective in reducing MMR - Need Emergency Obstetric Care (EmOC). • 1992 on wards some efforts to bring back attention to MH and add EmOC to strategy under CSSM , RCH program • But programs for MH esp. EmOC not well implemented
Top Management structure of Health & FW dept for MH • Dept of Health, Family Welfare, ISM, NACO … • MH division has only 3 technical offices for the whole country - DDG, 2 AC • All technical offices from CGHS • Over-burdened with administrative work • poor support services • poor office infrastructure
Other relevant institutions • Planning commission: 1 health advisor • NIHFW - not much work on MH • State Health depts: weak • No state has technical offices solely for MH • Most MCH directors are not trained or qualified in MH, Public Health, Obgyn …. • Hardly any delegation of authority to technical offices • No International Org has technical officer solely for MH.
World Bank’s and other studies on implementation capacity of MH • Limited technical capacity in MH at central and state levels. • Review of CSSM program showed that only 30% of FRUs are providing EmOC services - without blood transfusion • Key problems - lack of obgyns and anesthetists • Program monitoring poor - no data • Lack of clarity of roles of staff - ANM
Not much technical standards or protocols developed • Technical managers so overburdened that they can not do much technical work.
What have other countries done • Sri Lanka ( 18 m), Malaysia (23 m) have 2-3 technical offices for MH • Offices take technical decisions • Sri Lanka took lot of technical steps over last 40 years to develop maternal health services in rural areas - systematic identification of deficiency and addressing them. • Close monitoring of the program
How expensive is technical top management capacity • At central level 1 technical offices for MH for 100 million people • At state level 1 technical office for MH for 10 million people • Need 110 technical office for MH for the whole country - • Annual cost 6.6 Crore - or 3 % of total RCH program budget.
Minister calls a meeting • Joint secretary - lack of infrastructure and equipment - donor assistance possible • DDG MH: shortage of specialists, 24 hours servics - posting and transfers, training of MBBS doctors to do EmOC. • Secretary: cautions about training MBBS doc for EmOC, legal implications. Suggests TBA training based on NGO experience.
Nutrition advisor: suggestions treatment of Anemia - special program • Minister: met with private obgyns - • suggests increasing awareness among women • Free ANC through private obgyns once a month • dismisses other options of infrastructure up-gradation and staffing improvement
DDG does not agree but keeps quiet. • Secretary supports the ministers idea of involving private obgyns giving free ANC • Minister is happy: want a quick inauguration of the scheme by PM • DDG is thinking - did the minister make a right decision?