High demand for maternity services at rural birthing centres

By Janarjan Khatri,Sarlahi, Feb. 17: A significant number of women are opting for safe maternity services at the Sisautiya Birthing Centre in Sarlahi district.

According to the Sarlahi Health Office, among 36 birthing centres in the district, Sisautiya records the highest number of patients seeking maternity service. In the first seven months of the current fiscal year, 326 women have received maternity services at the centre.

Senior Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) Mamata Jha said that 48 women received services from mid-July to mid-August, 51 from mid-August to mid-September, 43 from mid-September to mid-October, 47 from mid-October to mid-November, 52 from mid-November to mid-December, 40 from mid-December to mid-January, and 45 from mid-January to mid-February. 

The birthing centre provided maternity services to 778 women in the fiscal year 2021/22, 725 in 2022/23 and 567 in 2023/24.

The birthing centre, located on the Sisautiya Health Post premises, has a team comprising a public health inspector, two senior auxiliary health workers, a senior auxiliary nurse midwife, a staff nurse, two auxiliary nurse midwives, a lab technician, an office assistant and a cleaner.

According to health post-in-charge Saroj Kumar Yadav, pregnant women from Gauradaha Municipality and nearby Chakarghatta, Dhankaul, Ramnagar, Bishnu and Kaudena rural municipalities seek maternity services at the centre.

Yadav informed that the number of service seekers has increased over time due to its reliability. “This birthing centre is well-established, and people trust it,” he said. 

“We provide services in a way that builds confidence, which is why we have a high number of clients,” he added. 

Pregnant women visiting the birthing centre receive Rs.1,000 for transportation costs and an additional Rs. 800 for undergoing the recommended four antenatal check-ups, according to Sisautiya Health Post.

Dr. Nawal Kishor Jha, Chief of Sarlahi Health Office, said, "Sisautiya Health Post has been ranked first in the district based on the number of maternity service seekers and quality of service provided by the centre."

Similarly, Kodraha Birthing Centre in Laxmipur, Haripur Municipality ranks second, while Sundarpur Birthing Centre in Chakraghatta Rural Municipality ranks third. 

“Sisautiya, Kodrah, and Lakshmipur are the top three birthing centres in the district, with Sisautiya having the highest number of service seekers,” he said. “Despite being in a rural area, Sisautiya provides excellent services”

While birthing centres in the district handle normal deliveries, complicated cases are referred to the Provincial Hospital in Malangwa or the Municipal Hospital in Lalbandi, where caesarean section (C-section) services are available.

The Sarlahi Health Office also stated that initiatives were underway by Barahathwa and Hariwan municipalities to introduce C-section services at Barahathwa Primary Health Centre and Sasapur Health Post in Hariwan.