Govt puts gynaecologists on notice, mandates public display of C-section records

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New Delhi: Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Maneka Gandhi on Wednesday suggested that the hospitals should publicly display the records of caesarean section vis-a-vis normal deliveries.

The development happened amid the case of the death of a 28-year-old AIIMS nurse, who died after undergoing a C-section surgery last month.

In a series of tweets, the minister expressed her concerns over alarming percentage of C-section surgeries being conducted in hospitals, adding that the percentage in some states is much higher than 10-15% as recommended by World Health Organisation (WHO).

I’d like to share my concern over alarming percentage of C-Section surgeries being conducted in hospitals these days. /1

— Maneka Gandhi (@Manekagandhibjp) February 22, 2017

This issue has been deeply worrying me as it has direct linkage with the health of women per se./2

— Maneka Gandhi (@Manekagandhibjp) February 22, 2017

The situation is much worse in private hospitals, which is a matter of grave concern./5

— Maneka Gandhi (@Manekagandhibjp) February 22, 2017

I have suggested mandating the hospitals to publicly display the no. of C-Sections vis-a-vis normal deliveries./7

— Maneka Gandhi (@Manekagandhibjp) February 22, 2017

According to the National Family Health Survey 2015-16, the combined Caesarean section rate in both government and private hospitals is as high as 58 percent in Telangana and 34.1 percent in Tamil Nadu. The rate of Caesarean section deliveries in private hospitals alone is as high as 70.9 per cent in West Bengal and 74.9 per cent in Telangana.

In response to a Change.org petition against hospitals and doctors profiteering by pushing women towards surgical deliveries instead of natural vaginal birth, Gandhi wants Health Minister J P Nadda to make it mandatory for hospitals to display their rate of Caesarean deliveries.

The minister also added that she has sought suggestions from women, prospective mothers & doctors on ways in which they can check this increasing trend of C-section in the country.