Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, May 24: Eight percent births take place at home in Jammu and Kashmir while 92 percent births take place in health facilities. The National Health and Family Survey (NHFS) reported that 42 percent of births in the last five years were delivered by Caesarean section in J&K health facilities.
“Ninety-two percent of births take place in a health facility (mostly a government facility) and 8 percent take place at home. The percentage of births in a health facility increased in the four years from 86 percent (NFHS-4) to 92 percent (NFHS-5). Institutional births are more common among women who have received an antenatal check, women with 12 or more years of schooling, women who are having their first birth, and women living in urban areas,” reads the data accessed by news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
“For 85 percent of home births, a clean blade was used to cut the cord, as is recommended. A disposable delivery kit was used for 55 percent of deliveries. Eighty-four percent of home births followed the recommendation that the baby be immediately wiped dry and then wrapped without being bathed first,” the survey reports.
“Ninety-five percent of births during the past five years took place with assistance from a skilled provider, and another 4 percent were delivered by a traditional birth attendant. Forty-two percent of births during the past five years were delivered by Caesarean section. Thirty-seven percent of caesarean sections (15% of all births) were emergency caesarean sections,” it adds further.
“Among women who had a live birth in the five years preceding the survey that was delivered in a health facility, 56 percent received financial assistance under Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY). Rural women (58%) were more likely than urban women (51%) to receive financial assistance under JSY. Scheduled tribe women and other backward class group women were more likely to receive financial assistance under JSY than any women from other caste/tribe group of women,” the survey reports.
It is pertinent to mention here that percentage of births taking place at health facilities increased to 92 percent (NHFS-5) from 50 percent (NHFS-3) to 86 percent (NHFS-4).
Similarly, 57 percent births took place with assistance of Health personnel as per NHFS-3, followed by 88 percent as per NHFS-4 and 95 percent as per NHFS-5—(KNO)
