Annual sanitary report of the Province of Assam.

  • Assam
Date:
[1938]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual sanitary report of the Province of Assam. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    44/88 page 22
    CHAPTER IX MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE 45. During the year under review the maternity and childwelfare centre at Jorhat was closed for lack of public support. A total of 39,057 infants died during 1933 giving a death-rate of 164-67. During the year 107 infants died daily in the province. This large number of deaths can be reduced if maternity and childwelfare centres are opened throughout the province and a larger number of properly trained midwives is made available. The infant mortality rate recorded in rural and urban areas was 165'89 and 121*75 respectively. The number of deaths from child birth is collected through Chaukidars and Gaonburas. Beyond the usual verification of vital statistics no special enquiries have been made to verify and check these statistics. The death-rate of children under 5 years was 73*98. Maternity and childwelfare organisation is in the hands of the Red Cross Society. There is no Health Visitor Training School in the province and there is no provision for the inspection of welfare centres. No other attempt except propaganda with the aid of magic lantern demonstra¬ tions was made to reach rural areas with maternity and childwelfare work. Figures are not availa¬ ble regarding proportion of births delivered in hospitals, by private doctors, by trained midwives, by untrained midwives and without attendants. The Narl Sikshasram at Silchar provides a course lasting for a year to class of 15 students. The course is in accordance with the syllabus of the Victoria Memorial Scholarship Fund. Facilities for the training of dhais exist in the towns of Sylhet, Karimganj, Goalpara, Dhubri and Nowgong. Public examinations are held at Dibrugarh, Sylhet and Karimganj. Midwives are not registered in the province and there is no provision for inspection of midwives. There is no bye-law in any Municipality for controlling the practice of midwives. The position in respect of midwives is improving in the Province. Salaried midwives are employed by Municipalities and Local Boards. There is no recognised institution for the training of midwives, assistant midwives and nurse dhais in the province. The services of doctors attached to hospitals and maternity homes are available for domicilary midwifery. There is no provision for the supervision of salaried midwives, assistant midwives and nurse dhais either in domicilary or in private practice. The Assam Births and Deaths Registration Act, 1935 controls the registration of births and deaths in the province. There is no provision for the control of the training, registration and supervision of nurses, health visitors, assistant midwives, nurse dhais and trained dhais, and there is no prohibition of practice by unregistered midwives and dhais. No regulation exists regarding qualifications and appointment of staff in maternity and childwelfare work and the inspection of maternity hospitals and homes. The Indian Factories Act controls the conditions of women and children in industry. There is no Children’s Act in this province. Ignorance and prejudice on the part of the bulk of the population and lack of funds are held to be the chief hindrance to the advancement of childwelfare and maternity work. Two statements giving the strength and distribution of the health services and maternity and childwelfare centres, in urban and rural areas in Assam during 1938 are attached. Table showing maternity and childwelfare centres, health visitors and trained MIDWIVES IN RURAL AND URBAN AREAS IN ASSAM DURING 1938 Maternity and Childwelfare Centres maintained by— Staff- District 1 Cachar Sylhet Knasi and Hills. Naga Hills Lushai Hills Goalpara Kamrup Darrang Government e CJ C3 jp U G P cc 2 3 1 Jaintia Nowgong Sibsagar Lakhimpur Garo Hills Manipur Sadiya Frontier Tract Balipara Frontier Tract Local and Municipal bodies Other agencies Trained visitors Trained Midwives Trained Dhais c (S X2 13 u G a 13 u fl 3- x> 13 u e c« f U 2 pi P Pi P Pi P PC 5 3 Pi 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 3 3 ... • 1 1 2 3 5 1 5 1 ... ... 1 1 • . • ... ... ... 1 • • • 1 3 4 1 1 • • • ... 1 i ... 1 • • • ... 1 ... ... 2 2 ... ... ... 1 1 1 1 1 2 ... 1 ... 1 1 • • • 1 '** 1 ... 1 ... ... 1 ... 1 ...
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3