Members in the Telangana Assembly today expressed serious concern over some private hospitals forcing pregnant women to undergo caesarean operation for delivery and wanted the State government to initiate firm action in this regard.
The unscrupulous methods being adopted by some private hospitals in inducing women to undergo caesarean operations for delivery figured in the House during question hour when BJP member G. Kishan Reddy expressed concern over the increasing number in caesarean operations in private hospitals. He urged the State government to probe into this and take immediate remedial measures.
Minister for Health C. Lakshma Reddy agreed that caesarean operations were on the increase and the government was taking all steps to prevent unwanted surgeries. Instructions were issued to medical authorities to keep a tab on the number of such operations being performed in private hospitals. As a matter of fact, the State government was encouraging institutional deliveries by ensuring that pregnant women go to government hospitals rather than to private hospitals, he observed.
Replying to the main question of Gongadi Sunitha, Ajmeera Rekha and Kova Laxmi, the Minister said the State government had launched Amma Vodi Scheme (102 Vehicles) to shift pregnant women to hospital and back to home after delivery. The 102 Referral Transport Service was initially launched in tribal and remote areas and would be expanded for the entire State in due course, he explained.
Members from both Treasury and Opposition benches complained about lack of doctors and other infrastructure facilities in government hospitals, especially in tribal and girijan areas. They urged the government to increase the number of 102 services in remote places. The members also demanded that the State government should consider in giving incentives to women before and after delivery as was being done in Tamil Nadu where each women is paid Rs 12,000 after delivery.
The Health Minister said necessary budget allocations would be made in the next budget for providing the required incentives. He also informed that the government had sent a report to the Union government for enhancing salaries of midwives and Asha workers.
In reply to another question, the Health Minister said as a policy, the State government has decided to upgrade one hospital in each district headquarters as per the needs and feasibility. (NSS)