RAJSHAHI, Sept 7, 2022 (BSS)- Mundumala Union Sub Centre (USC) is providing maternal health services to the village women as it has been reactivated with public private collaborative efforts.

   Established in 1985, the facility, which is around 12-kilometer away from Tanore Upazila Health Complex, is mandated to provide health services to around 32,600 population.

   But the facility health services were non-functional because both the positions of midwife and family welfare visitor (FWV) remained vacant during the period from 2015 to 2018.

   The vacant posts caused huge sufferings to pregnant mothers and other health service seekers, particularly the marginalized and ethnic minority ones.

   Mundumala Pourasava Mayor Saidur Rahman said Masuma Khatun has been working relentlessly for making the centre effective as well as service-oriented since her joining as midwife on February 7, 2021.

   She delivered 418 Antenatal Care (ANC), 22 Postnatal Care (PNC), 4,040 Child Health and 33653 General Health during the period from February 2021 to July 2022.

   Besides, she conducted 14 NVD successfully at the facility making the service-recipients delighted side by side with her.

   On behalf of its Public Health Improvement Initiative Rajshahi (PHIIR) Project, DASCOH Foundation made the labor room ready with equipment and necessary drugs. In addition to some works of maintenance and renovation for normal vaginal delivery (NVD), it has arranged practical and other relevant training along with special counseling, motivation and regular mentorship and supervision.

   Nasima Khatun (20), a resident of Moyenpur village, is very much happy as she received her first NVD service from the facility.

   She took regular check-ups amid communication with the midwife. At present, she is motivating other pregnant mothers for their NVD service from the facility.

   Tanzila Begum, another beneficiary of the nearby Badhair village, expressed her gratitude to the facility and the FWV as well after blessing with a healthy baby through NVD at the facility.

   The facility also makes Teresa Murmu (28), wife of Hemonta Murmu of Kochua village, happy as they earned their second kid through NVD after availing ANC, PNC and neonatal services.

   Mayor Saidur Rahman said the centre has become a blessing to underprivileged village mothers as it provides emergency reproductive care of prenatal, normal delivery, postnatal and neonatal services.

   The Labour room of the centre has been enriched with essential equipment including a labor table and oxygen cylinder for ensuring institutional delivery in the rural area.

   With collaborative efforts of government agencies concerned and the non-government development organization, the centre has necessary instruments and devices to ensure the services.

   Mayor Rahman, who is also the chairman of the facility management committee, said Masuma Khatun's joining at the centre, also fosters its services oriented activities through earning trust among the community people.

   "We have referral services for the mothers suffering from various pregnancy-related complexities like vaginal bleeding, eclampsia, severe headaches and fever and delayed labor," said Masuma Khatun.

   DASCOH Foundation has been implementing the PHIIR project supported by Swiss Red Cross in five upazila health complexes, 42 UH&FWCs and 110 Community Clinics under Bagmara, Charghat and Tanore upazilas in Rajshahi and Porsha and Sapahar upazilas in Naogaon districts.

   The project is intended to improve the health of the targeted population with special focus on maternal, neonatal and child health at primary health care level. "We are working to improve the health of around 10,46,669 population with special focus on maternal, neonatal and child health and this is the goal of the project," said Tozammel Haque, Manager of PHIIR Project.

   Dr Kustary Amina Queen, Deputy Director of the Department of Family Planning, said the government and non-government collaborative efforts are being judged as substantial and sustainable promotion of institutional delivery besides reducing maternal and neonatal deaths.

   She mentioned strengthening the rural level health facilities could be the vital means of achieving the country's ambitious target related to curbing maternal and newborn mortality rates.