SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Aug 19: For reducing mother mortality rate (MMR) and infant mortality rate (IMR) ‘Mamta Vahan’ would be deployed in all 256 panchayats of Dhanbad.
New Deputy Commissioner (DC) Sandeep Singh has directed Civil Surgeon (CS) Dr Shyam Kishore Kant to ensure the availability of at least one ‘Mamta Vahan’ in each panchayat of the district on a priority basis.
‘Mamta Vahan’ is a free transport system to ferry rural pregnant women to hospitals. The medical officer-in-charge of the community health centre (CHC) gets an agreement with a private transport owner to provide service for this work.
Notably, there are only 50 vehicles operating so far to cover 256 panchayats.
Nodal officer of the district health department ambulance service Dr Zaffarullah Sheikh admitted that there is a shortage of Mamta Vahan in almost all 10 blocks of the district.” As per directive of the district administration in 10 to 15 days a Mamta Vahan would be available in all 256 panchayats,” he said.
Dr Zaffarullah said the availability of Mamta Vahan would definitely help in arresting MMR and IMR in the district.
The deputy commissioner also directed the civil surgeon to focus on regular immunization of pregnant mothers and infants who had been affected during the Corona pandemic. He said that on the directive of the state government a Human Resources Cell has been set up for the appointment of the health staff.
The civil surgeon has been asked to equip all health centres with proper manpower on a priority basis.
