Vijayawada: Private hospitals draw flak for unnecessary Caesarean deliveries

Vijayawada: Medical and health department principal secretary MT Krishna Babu expressed his concern over the conducting Caesarean deliveries (C-Section) in the state, often there was no need for them. He opined that it is a shame that the most Caesarean sections were done in the state than any other state in the country.

Speaking at a meeting of district medical and health officials and others in Mangalagiri on Wednesday, he expressed his anger at the managements of the private hospitals which conducted 100 per cent Caesarean operations and warned of cancelling hospitals Aarogyasri empanelment if they don't stop this.

He told the hospitals that Caesarean section should be performed only in absolutely necessary circumstances and hospitals should be run with ethical values.

Krishna Babu appealed to gynaecologists and owners of private hospitals to ensure natural births and avoid Caesarean sections which are likely to become fatal.

"According to WHO guidelines, caesarean sections should form only 10 to 15 per cent of all deliveries. But, a massive percentage of Caesarean sections are happening in many private hospitals in the state. It is a very worrying issue. For the past one year, 42.7 percent of the births in our state were performed by Caesareans, compared to national average of 17 per cent," he said. The principal secretary directed all the official concerns to create awareness among the public over benefits of the natural deliveries and adverse effects of the Caesarean deliveries. Aarogyasri CEO M N R Prasad, commissioner of hand family welfare department J Nivas, DME and A P V V P Commissioner Dr Vinod Kumar and others participated.