SRINAGAR : Mission Director, National Health Mission, Yasin M Choudhary, today chaired a meeting to review Maternal and Child Death Surveillance besides C-Section audit in Jammu and Kashmir.

The meeting was attended online by concerned HoDs of Associated Hospitals of GMCs, Chief Medical Officers and Medical Superintendents of District Hospitals including new GMCs, Programme Management Units of Maternal Health and Child Health, National Health Mission.

It was highlighted in the meeting that there is an increasing trend of Caesarean Section across all healthcare units of J&K which is a matter of concern as rising rate of C- Section is a major public health concern which results in risks associated with maternal and prenatal problems. It was also discussed that the rise in number of caesarean births have potential negative health consequences for both mother as well as the infant and as such there is no potential evidence to support that C-section delivery has any positive benefit for either mother or infant who do not require the procedure.

MD NHM stressed upon the officers to take all measures to address the issue of increasing trend of caesarean births saying that all facilities must ensure C-section audit which is one of the effective non clinical interventions to tackle with this issue. He emphasized upon the participants to identify, review and take corrective measures to ascertain the causes and determinants of maternal and child deaths to prevent future mishaps.

Project Manager NHM, Dr Qazi Haroon, made a detailed power point presentation on Maternal Death Surveillance Response, Child Death Review and C-section Audit.

Senior Consultant, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Dr Priyanka Bharti, attended the meeting as special invitee.