Hostels for pregnant tribal women prove safe bet

Parvathipuram (Vizianagaram): The hostel for pregnant women (Giri Shikhara Garbhinila Vasathi Gruham) started in tribal areas of Vizianagaram district, is helping a lot to people of hilltop areas.

The hostels are aimed to reduce infant mortality rate (IMR) and mother mortality rate (MMR) in tribal areas. It started as an immediate relief to obstetric hurdles of tribal six months back is becoming a panacea for maternal health in agency areas by ensuring around 300 safe institutional deliveries.

Two such hostels at Saluru and G L Puram were started by the district administration to accommodate the vulnerable, high-risk pregnant women near to the hospital in tribal sub-plan (TSP) mandals.

Main criteria to join the hostel: High-risk mothers, third trimester, malnourished mothers from remote habitations. The Anganwadi entitlements under different schemes of Central and State government are converted into hostel. Nutritive food, regular medical checkups, yoga and entertainment are the hallmarks of the hostel. Now, the tribes need not to carry the pregnant by Dolis at the time of emergency and rush to the hospitals.

A hostel was started at Salur on September 17, 2018 and received around 169 pregnants and of them 146 women have delivered infants in safe and healthier conditions. Another one hostel was started at G L Puram, an agency mandal on November 16, 2018 and got 132 admissions, of those 113 women have given births to children. So far, 300 deliveries were registered in good and hygiene conditions.

On the occasion, Dr G Lakshmisha, PO ITDA Parvathipuram, explained the impact of the initiative in addressing the persistent issue of maternal deaths. Since its inception, no maternal deaths reported from tribal area. Highest reduction in IMR and MMR registered in 2018-19. The hostel is becoming a platform for inculcating the health education to tribals.