Slew of measures to strengthen mother and child care in Bengal

Kolkata: As a part of its 'Health for All' campaign, the Bengal government has taken a number of initiatives in Sunderbans and Jangalmahal areas to strengthen health service delivery mechanism thereby to reach out to the villagers in the distant areas.

The construction of a mother and child hub has already begun at Canning Sub-divisional hospital and it is expected to be made operational early next year. The new mother and child hub, which is coming up at Canning, will cater to a large number of patients from different parts of South 24-Parganas. It often becomes difficult to ferry passengers living in island areas to city hospitals. Considering various aspects, the state health department has chalked out an elaborate plan so that the villagers in the district can avail best quality treatment in various sub-divisional hospitals in the districts. As a part of the programme, the Canning Sub-divisional hospital is being given a major facelift.

Boat hiring as referral transport has been taken up under Janani Sishu Suraksha Karyakram Plus initiative. Various waiting huts have made functional at Sandeshkhali, Patharpratima and Gosaba.

The Bengal government started setting up "waiting huts" or "pre-delivery huts" to provide healthcare facilities to pregnant women at no cost in far-flung areas of various districts. The project was initiated by the state Health department in rural areas following the instruction of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who laid enormous emphasis on institutional deliveries in remote areas.

The main purpose of setting up of "waiting huts" was to reduce infant mortality rate and the death of mothers before or after delivery.

These huts are equipped to keep pregnant women for observation and in total care for 7-10 days prior to the expected dates of delivery.

One blood bank has already been made functional at Basirhat district hospital in North 24-Parganas and two more are coming up at Canning sub-divisional hospital and Kakdwip sub-divisional hospital in South 24-Parganas. Two blood component units are also coming up at Basirhat district hospital and Canning sub-divisional hospital. A trauma care facility is under construction at Amtala in South 24-Parganas.

Giving a boost to the health infrastructure in Jangalmahal areas, the state health department is setting up two new medical colleges each at Purulia and Jhargram.

The super-specialty Hospital at Belda will be made functional by December this year. Diagnostic facilities are operational in all the four districts of Jangalmahal, including two in Purulia, seven in Bankura, five in West Midnapore and three in Jhargram.