Telangana Health officials and staff were directed to hold meetings with priests requesting them not to set ‘muhurthams’ for C-Sections to deliver babies. The direction was issued by the State Health Minister T Harish Rao on Thursday, who has been stating that they are determined to bring down the rate of Cesarean section deliveries in the State.
Among several reasons cited by doctors for selecting C-Sections, they have said that families pressurise them to perform C-Section to deliver their babies at a particular auspicious time. The time is set to the seconds. It is learnt that the direction was issued taking cue from the initiative taken by Karimnagar district administration. The District Collector R V Karnan has held a meeting with priests a few days ago requesting them not to set Muhurthams for the C-Sections deliveries.
Detailing what went before holding the meeting, he said, “When we closely monitored deliveries at private hospitals, the C-Section rate has dropped by 10%. The district health officials have observed that though some cases were fit for normal deliveries, C-Section was conducted. Upon asking, doctors said that pregnant women, their families pressurize them to deliver a baby at an auspicious time selected by priests.
“So we held a meeting with purohits and gynaecologists. The well-meaning purohits said that they support us,” he said. Some of the priests have started to display boards, flexis, at religious places stating that they do not set murhutams for the deliveries.
This initiative has come up for discussion at a video conference held by Mr Harish Rao with district Collectors a few days ago. And on Thursday, all District Medical and Health Officers (DMHO), Medical Officers, and others were instructed to take help of Collectors to hold a meeting with priests in this regard.
The DMHOs were further directed to hold meetings with gynaecologists from the government and private health facilities seeking their support in bringing down the C-Sections rate.
Incentives would be given to government doctors and nurses for performing normal deliveries.
Trend has begun from the past decade: Dr Balamba
An eminent gynaecologist from Telangana Dr P Balamba, who has been practicing from the year 1972, has said that the trend of fixing ‘muhurtams’ for deliveries is being observed only from the past decade. She and others have said that doctors have to state that they do not deliver babies at auspicious time.
The experienced gyneacologist has cautioned the perils of giving birth to babies at a fixed time. She said that if anyone chooses to give birth at an auspicious time which falls in the night, it could be problematic.
“If there are to be complications during delivery at night, chances of addressing it are tough since experts, health staff, will not be present at full strength compared to the daytime. Also, if blood is required, where will families rush to? It is difficult,” said Ms Balamba.
Also, if a baby is delivered prior to 37 weeks of pregnancy because of an auspicious time, it will be a premature baby. More than any good because of an auspicious time, the baby might end up with complications.
It was also learnt that a few doctors do not want to lose a patient to other doctors and succumb to pressure from the families. The medical specialists were urged to take a stand not to conduct deliveries at an auspicious time.
