Morung Express News
Kiphire | May 28
The District Hospital Kiphire (DHK) has been steadily making progress in providing good health care to the citizens of Kiphire for some time now and with the inauguration of Matruprem (Mother’s Care) Safe Delivery Home Stay at DHK, it is hoped that delivery related problems will be drastically improved.
The safe delivery home stay was inaugurated by Deputy Commissioner, M Shayung Phom in the presence of administration officials, Medical Superintendent DHK, doctors and staff, Bano Vinito, Chairperson Nagaland State Social Welfare Board and NGO leaders.
ADC Reny Wilfred pointed out that as Kiphire district has only one hospital, women have suffered arduously in labour having to travel from remote areas in 7-9 hour journeys to reach medical care. He added that with the monsoons come landslides in the district which severely hamper movement thereby posing dangers to women in labour.
He said that women can now come a week ahead and stay free of cost in the safe delivery home, which will give enough time for the district hospital to arrange for services of gynaecologists or transport patients to the nearest hospital with gynaecologists and caesarean facilities. Wilfred stated that it would also bring down maternal mortality and neonatal deaths.
The ADC informed that the safe delivery home stay facility has been made possible because of the coordinated action of the district administration and the district hospital.
The newly inaugurated facility will provide free accommodation for one family, free cooking facilities and medical care support will be offered during the stay.
KMC facility inaugurated
In another boost for the healthcare sector of the district, the DHK introduced the first ever Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) facility to address newborn morbidity and mortality.
It was inaugurated by Bano Vinito, Chairperson Nagaland State Social Welfare Board in the presence of the DC, Kiphire, administration officials, officers from various departments and leaders from various organisations.
ADC Reny Wilfred said the KMC would provide safe method of caring for low birth weight infants in limited resource settings. In this method, the infant body is brought in contact with the mother’s and both are then covered with a warm blanket for several hours.
It involves early, continuous and prolonged skin-to-skin contact between a mother and her newborn; frequent and exclusive breastfeeding; and early discharge from hospital. It is a safe and effective alternative to conventional neonatal care, especially when there is limited availability of resources as the method reduces mortality in low birth weight babies.
According to WHO estimate, more than 20 million infants are born every year with birth weight less than 2.5 kg. Over 96% of this is in developing countries. Such babies are at increased risk of early growth retardation, infectious diseases and death during infancy.
