The HP state badly fails to achieve the target of maternal health-care as round the clock facilities miss about 84 percent its target under centrally funded flagship National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), the auditor’s report of Comptroller Auditor General of India (CAG) revealed.
“With aims to upgrade about 500 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) under the program it could only launch it in 81 (16 percent) PHCs to provide 24X7 Institutional Delivery Services (IDSs) in the far-flung rural areas as none of such health centres have basic obstetrics and nursing facilities due to non-availability of gynaecologists, staff nurses and skilled birth attendants.” CAG reports findings NRHM seriously flawed said.
NHRM framework (2005-12) launched by the union government with the motive to make emergency maternal healthcare services in rural areas for the safe deliveries and bringing down the Mother and Child mortality.
Auditors took the sample of 500 PHCs under the implementation of the program but the basic obstetric facilities labour rooms could not be made accessible after spending of the money in 308 PHCs moreover facilities of new born care units in was not available in 493.
The expected target under NHRM was to register 70 percent of institutional delivery however state missed the target as it could achieve only 57 per cent institutional delivery in 2014-15 from 42 in 2010-11. During the project years the State could achieve average IDSs of 53 percent.
CAG finding shows that 19 to 47 percent of the total funds remained unutilized by the state during 2010-15. Another important target remained unachieved under this immunization program as funds remained parked with the department but it could not develop comprehensive call centres to track pregnant mother and new born children. The flagship program was run poorly in the state due to major reasons of the shortage of doctors and paramedics.
