Govt fails to stop anaemia, maternal mortality in tea tribe women

Assam Social Aspects of state

Various government interventions meant to combat anaemia are insufficient and unsuccessful in reaching the women they are intended to serve and women in tea gardens of the State face multiple barriers to combating the disease and accessing adequate maternal health care, according to a new report released today by NGO Nazdeek.
The current maternal mortality rate in Assam is 237 against the all India average of 130, according to latest figures released in June last. It is said that 77 per cent of the cases are reported in tea tribe women.
There are a number of schemes like Mamoni, Majoni and even the Central government’s Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, but the tea garden women are not getting the benefit of a single scheme even though in RTI replies the government says the programmes are continuing.
Key findings of the report show that there is poor and inaccurate understanding of anaemia and its causes among many health workers and government officials; availability of free nutritional supplements at anganwadi centres is sporadic and insufficient due to major gaps in funding disbursement; and the existing blood procurement system erects barriers to women’s health and negatively affects poorer patients.
The report provides recommendations for government officials on how to strengthen services aimed at reducing anaemia and maternal mortality. The sample survey was carried out in eight gardens of four districts – Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Kokrajhar and Sonitpur.