Now Reading: Bihar’s home-delivery-free drive cuts home births to 5-8% in 80 panchayats
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Bihar’s home-delivery-free drive cuts home births to 5-8% in 80 panchayats
Bihar’s home-delivery-free drive cuts home births to 5-8% in 80 panchayats
According to Hindustan Times, Bihar's home-delivery-free panchayat campaign has reduced home deliveries from over 40% to between 5% and 8.5% in 80 panchayats across 11 districts. In Muzaffarpur district, home deliveries have…
The Story in Brief
According to Hindustan Times, Bihar's home-delivery-free panchayat campaign has reduced home deliveries from over 40% to between 5% and 8.5% in 80 panchayats across 11 districts. In Muzaffarpur district, home deliveries have fallen to just 2% across 19 panchayats.
The state health department targeted behaviour change through ASHAs, ANMs, and local leaders. Women like Neelam Devi, who faced severe bleeding during a home birth, now choose government hospitals. Other districts such as Saran and Kishanganj have also seen near-zero home deliveries.
The Indian Opinion
The Bihar campaign's numbers are impressive, but the narrative of 'tradition versus modernity' oversimplifies. Many women chose home births due to poor access, not just custom. The real test now is whether hospitals can provide respectful, quality care consistently and whether all-weather transport remains reliable. Without that, the gains could reverse. What will the maternal mortality rate in these panchayats show in two years?
Source: hindustantimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
