Institutional deliveries during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key Facts:-

• In Madhya Pradesh, institutional deliveries shot up to 90% in 2019 and were growing by 2-3% each year marking a good improvement in institutional deliveries.

Details:

• The National Health Mission (NHM) data notes that Madhya Pradesh has recorded a fall of 18.6% in institutional deliveries in April 2020, the first month of the COVID-19 lockdown, casting a shadow on an improving trend.

Concerns:

• Medical Infrastructure:
• Diversion of health infrastructure for the pandemic, including accredited social health activists and auxiliary nurse midwives, and the 108 ambulance service, and disrupted transport network has contributed to the decline in institutional deliveries.
• Many private health centers shut down during the lockdown further limiting the available health infrastructure.
• Fear of infection:
• The pandemic inhibited people from visiting a health center, fearing they would contract COVID-19.
• Effect on tribal population:
• Witnessing fewer institutional deliveries, tribal districts, most of which have few private units and have low awareness levels, were the hardest hit regions with a drastic drop in institutional deliveries.

Steps were taken:

• The Madhya Pradesh state government has directed district hospitals in all the 52 districts to reserve at least 30% services for non-COVID-19 care and to continue emergency care.