877 newborns, 61 mothers died due to non-hospitalization

877 newborns and 61 mothers died in the state due to refusal of hospitalization for fear of infection during the Covid pandemic. The Meghalaya government has given this information in a report sent to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

The NHRC had written a letter to the state seeking an action taken report regarding the increase in maternal and child mortality rate in the state during the pandemic.

The state said in the report that the reason for this was lack of medical care. The mothers had refused to be admitted to the health centers and get a Kovid test done for fear of infection. At the time when these deaths occurred, it was necessary to separate the Kovid infected and Kovid free patients.

Testing was being done especially in the wards of hospitals to prevent the spread of the epidemic. When the women avoided going to the health centre, the ANM and ASHA workers went home to monitor their health and requested hospitalization at the time of delivery.

In view of the large number of deaths during this period, the state government started the rescue operation. Mobile application was used for registration of all pregnant women.

According to the state administration, apart from Kovid, socio-economic and gender discrimination also became the reason for the death of women and newborns. All pregnant women at high risk were identified. None of them were allowed to deliver at home. She was asked to be hospitalized at least two weeks before the delivery.