Aiming for zero deaths: India's south makes giving birth safer

Systemic focus on maternal health has led to far lower death rates in southern states

- Rohini Mohan

Doctors and nurses from primary healthcare centres across Tamil Nadu practising the protocol to resuscitate an infant in November, during a simulation exercise as part of trainings in Chennai to enhance maternal and child health, conducted by the state health department, Singapore International Foundation and SingHealth. ST PHOTO: ROHINI MOHAN

(ST PHOTO: ROHINI MOHAN)

Dr Teres Cuba looked at a mother who had just given birth to a baby, lying on the stretcher. A nurse yelled that she was losing blood quickly.

"Her blood pressure and pulse rate are dropping!" someone else shouted.

Realising this was a case of postpartum haemorrhage, Dr Cuba asked the nurse to administer oxytocin, massaged the patient's uterus and checked for continued bleeding. The mother's life was ultimately saved.

That the mother on the stretcher was a mannequin, and that this was a simulation exercise in a training programme to handle obstetrics emergencies, did not diminish Dr Cuba's sense of achievement.

"I want to be as good as I can get at dealing with obstetric emergencies practice makes perfect," the 38-year-old said.

As a medical officer in a primary healthcare centre in Paramakudi block in Ramnathapuram district of Tamil Nadu, she is at the front line of the state's drive to improve maternal health outcomes.

The training Dr Cuba and her colleagues took part in in November was organised by Singapore's healthcare group SingHealth and nonprofit Singapore International Foundation (SIF). The local doctors and nurses are expected to share their learnings with other healthcare workers throughout the state.

Mission-minded doctors like Dr Cuba have bolstered Tamil Nadu's drive to eliminate maternal deaths during childbirth.