Obstetricians attend workshop on ‘assisted vaginal births'
AVB is recognised as one of the seven signal functions of Basic Emergency Obstetric Care (BEmOC), but has seen declining practice in many health facilities. The two-day training programme aims to revive confidence and clinical proficiency in AVB to safely manage second-stage complications and reduce surgical interventions where avoidable, according to a press release from the Department of Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare.
During the workshop, senior obstetricians from 22 districts of the State will be trained in AVB techniques, including forceps and vacuum delivery, and they will then share the knowledge with health staff at district-level facilities. The training programme is being led by the clinical faculty members from Fernandez Hospital, Hyderabad.
Inaugurating the workshop, Health and Family Welfare Commissioner G. Veerapandian said there is a need to reduce unnecessary Caesarean sections in the State, which currently stood at 42.4% as per National Family Health Survey-5.
He said the workshop and the AVB project are part of the government's broader strategy to promote physiologic births, reduce maternal morbidity and integrate midwifery-led care into high-delivery facilities. The AVB project, funded by Laerdal Foundation, will be implemented across the State over a period of three years.
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Time of India
3 hours ago
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The Hindu
a day ago
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The disparities between rural and urban India are clear in the NFHS-5 (2019-21): it reveals that the the utilisation of hygienic materials (sanitary napkins, locally prepared napkins, tampons, and menstrual cups) during menstruation among adolescent women in rural India stood at only 43%, whereas in urban areas, it is 68%, indicating a significant gap between rural and urban areas. The rural-urban gap in using hygienic menstrual materials exceeds 20 percentage points in several States, including Madhya Pradesh (36 pp gap), Odisha (26 pp), Uttar Pradesh (23 pp), and Rajasthan (21 pp), highlighting regional disparities. From a clinical standpoint, Aby Koshy, consultant gynaecologist and specialist in reproductive medicine, Sunrise Hospital, Kochi, notes that even in States such as Kerala, where poor menstrual hygiene is rare, health risks remain. 'Gynaecologists not so frequently encounter cases involving genital allergies [which could be due to sanitary pads] and also vaginal infections, which are typically either bacterial or fungal in nature. Differentiating between these two types of infections becomes crucial in deciding the nature of treatment.' He adds that prolonged usage of unclean or damp cloth is harmful. 'It creates a warm, humid environment which is an ideal condition for the overgrowth of fungi, particularly yeast, leading to a fungal infection.' Mr. Babar points to a triad of barriers: affordability, distribution and awareness. 'These do not exist side by side; they interact in a powerful, negative feedback loop. Low awareness lowers perceived value, which reduces demand, weakens distribution and makes access even harder.' The human cost is immense. 'A girl who gets her period at a school without a separate, functional toilet with running water and a proper disposal system faces a crisis of dignity. The fear of being shamed for a stain is immense. The simplest solution for her is to stay home,' he adds. Missing four to five days a month means falling behind academically by nearly 25%, often pushing girls to drop out entirely. 'For the individual, it limits her lifetime earning potential, and traps her in an intergenerational cycle of poverty. For the nation, it suppresses our female labour force participation and leaves a vast pool of human capital untapped, dragging down our GDP,' says Mr. Babbar. Breaking the cycle There is now global recognition of menstrual health as a public and human rights issue and period poverty contributing to widening economic gaps. In 2011, the Indian government launched the Menstrual Hygiene Scheme , to distribute sanitary pads alongside organising educational awareness programmes and initiatives for the safe disposal of pads. However, the distribution of period products was affected significantly by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a recent evaluation of India's Menstrual Hygiene Scheme in Assam and Tripura, areas that received consistent pad supplies from 2017 to 2021 saw a rise in hygienic practices. Among girls aged 15-19 years, sanitary pad usage rose by 10.6% points and overall adoption jumped by 13.8% points. Aditi Gupta, managing director and co-founder of Menstrupedia, a Gujarat-based startup that offers educational materials on menstruation, says that education is the most powerful lever for change. 'Education and awareness are the ways to do this. When the girl grows and becomes a mother, she will educate her children well. That way the stigma will fade away,' she says. Menstrupedia has reached 14 million girls with comic books translated into all Indian regional languages, ensuring accessibility. 'In the interior areas of Kashmir, we've partnered with NGO We the Change, to teach girls about periods and provide sanitary pads.' However, Ms. Gupta acknowledges that the supply chain is weak and that social taboos can't be undone overnight. She adds, 'Women's health has always been a taboo topic. Period education should be mandated. Textbooks are censored in schools and are not written well. All of this directly affects the attitudes.' Dr. Koshy sees lessons from urban progress that can be applied in rural outreach. 'First is the introduction of regular adolescent and sexual health education that is conducted by gynaecologists and public health doctors in schools. These sessions help create a supportive environment where girls feel more confident in discussing menstrual health and seeking appropriate solutions. Secondly, growth in awareness of the environmental impact of sanitary pad disposal has led to a notable rise in the usage of eco-friendly alternatives such as biodegradable pads, reusable cloth pads and menstrual cups.' *Identity withheld at the request of the individual (Rishika Priyadarsi and Aditya Ansh are independent media writers based in India. priyadarsirishika@ adityaansh30@
