By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Thiruvananthapuram: Taking a serious view of increasing infant deaths and malnutrition cases reported in Attappady, one of the largest tribal settlements in Kerala, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has drawn up a detailed action plan to find solution for various health issues with special focus on antenatal care of tribal women.
Steps are to be taken to ensure weekly service of radiologists in hospitals and community health centres in the the region and provide specialised training for health workers in antenatal care, IMA members said.
As many as 17 tribal children, including newborns, died in different settlements of Attappady since January due to various health issues including malnutrition. Last month, the state government had announced Rs two crore emergency medical package for tackling the problem.
A top IMA office-bearer said the action plan was drawn up based on a report submitted by a team of IMA members, who recently visited tribal hamlets and hospitals in Attappady, located in northern district Palakkad.
“The team members visited hospitals and health centres at Attappady and studied the situation. Besides malnutrition, the absence of proper antenatal care is one of the major reasons for the death of infants in the region,” IMA Kerala secretary A V Jayakrishnan told PTI.
He said pregnant women are still treated in primitive ways in many hamlets and lack of proper care after delivery poses a serious threat for health of both infants and mothers.
“Awareness should be created among tribals about the significance of antenatal care. Health workers in hospitals and community health centres should be given specialised training for it. We will take immediate steps for it. Besides this, we will also take up continuing education for doctors working in the region,” he said.
To ensure the service of radiologist for conducting ultra sound scan, IMA is planning to collaborate with the Department of Radiology of Thrissur Medical College. “We are also planning to approach the government seeking appointment of more gynaecologists in hospitals and community health centres in the region considering plight of tribal women,” he said.
The action plan is envisaged to be implemented in the next three months and IMA would announce a detailed health package for the region after that, he said.