Although the State health department claims to provide immediate and necessary medical and health facilities to the expecting mothers in the disaster hit areas of the State, but poor connectivity of the roads in the higher parts could become barrier for this noble cause.
However, department officials claimed that in-charges of the health centres and additional health centres are already instructed to take necessary steps to meet with the requirements of the expecting mothers.Additionally, chief medical officers of all the districts of the State have been instructed to keep a tab on the situation to avoid mother and infant mortality rate in the disaster hit areas of Garhwal and Kumaon divisions of Uttarakhand.
The latest data compiled by the State health department clearly highlighted that Estimated Delivery Date (EDD) of 1377 expecting mothers is due in the August. Out of the total EDD, maximum number of EDD cases(426) are pending in Pithoragarh district followed by Uttarkashi (421) district of the State. Besides, 318 EDD cases and 212 EDD cases are pending in Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts respectively.
Sources confirmed that the department is being laid special focus in three districts of Garhwal division which are Chamoli, Uttarkashi and Rudraprayag whereas only one district Pithoragarh is being given special attention in Kumaon division of Uttarakhand. In order to provide immediate medical relief to the EDD cases, Karanprayag, Joshimath, Tharali, Pokhari and Gairsain Community Health Centres (CHCs) in Chamoli district, Agustmuni and Jakholi CHCs in Rudraprayag district, Chinyalisaud, Purola and Naogaon CHCs in Uttarkashi district and Didihat, Gangolihat, Munsyari and Dharchula CHCs in Pithoragarh have been kept on the high alert for redressing the grievances of the expecting mothers.
One of the department sources who wished anonymity told The Pioneer that officer in-charges of health centres, additional health centers, Primary Health Centres and CHCs have been instructed to provide immediate medical relief to EDD cases. Apart from instructing Chief Medical Officers of all the 13 districts of the State, the department will ensure to provide medical relief to the patients at block and villager level. He further told that health workers are told to keep a tab on the EDD cases and ensure institutional delivery in order to provide best possible medical care to the expecting mothers.
He told that disaster-hit areas of the State are having full stock of life saving drugs and every possible step would be taken by the department for providing medical care to the EDD cases at block level.