FREINDS posers on cesarean operations (CS Ops)
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 07 2014:
Referring to data collected from department concerned about gradual de-cline in the rate of child birth in the last many years compared to decadal growth rate in popu-lation in excess of the national figure, FREINDS today posed whether increasing trend of birth through cesarean opera-tions (CS Ops) in the State is part of the hidden agenda to marginalise the indigenous people.
Speaking to newspersons at its Keishampat office today, FREINDS president Sa- pamcha Jadumani expressed serious concern that in about three decades the Meetei would be reduced to a minority group in their own place of origin.
The birth rate within a de-cade was only 1.5 in Manipur with 90 percent of the Meetei couples opting for Family Planning procedures and the same community topping the chart in undergoing sterilization process, said Jadumani, whose organisation has been spearheading the ongoing campaign for introduction of inner line permit (ILP) system in Manipur.
Overall population growth rate in Manipur hovers around the 10.6 percent mark compared to the national average of 14.6 percent, main- tained FREINDS while infor-ming that birth rate in the State was 14.6 percent last year far less than the all India figure of 21.6 percent the same period.
Moreover, the decadal growth rate as per 2011 figure is said to be 18.6 percent for Manipur whereas the rate stands at 17 percent.
Expressing deep concern on the contrasting demogra-phic changes, the ILP campai- gner also grimly noted doctors in both Government and private hospitals suggesting CS operation to the expectant mothers and patient parties.
While natural birth has been the universal norm for both mankind as well as in the animal world, increasing trend of CS Ops during child birth in Manipur either suggest that doctors are not con- cerned with the financial burden the patient's party will have to bear or is a deliberate attempt with hidden agenda to surgically limit the child bearing ability of a mother.
It needs no explanation that CS Operations at private hospitals is a costly affair with the doctors employed in such medical centres eventually reaping the benefit, observed Jadumani.
Citing practice of pregnant women regularly consulting doctors along with the advancement of medical science and modern diagnostic equipment since the past many years, he opined that the general public deserve an explanation as to how a doctor who had been prescribing requisite medicines at regular interval besides prenatal tests ultimately insist on CS Ops when delivery time nears.
Further contending that hospital authorities too owe explanation to the people on such delivery methods, jadumani said FREINDS campaign for IPL system is a justifiable cause as its intention is based on the apprehension that unrestrained influx of outsiders would eventually marginalise the indigenous population.
Meanwhile, handing over copies about report of delivery in some private hospitals, a FREINDS statement said that out of 500 child births at Shija Hospital in 2011, CS Ops accounted for 265 of the deliveries whereas the figure for 2012 stood at 299 child births through CS Ops and 251 normal deliveries.
Regarding city Hospital and Research Centre (Chingmeirong), there were a total of 487 deliveries till October last year out of which 225 expectant mothers underwent surgical procedures while in Suba Hospital & Assisted Reproductive Centre (RIMS Gate), 380 patients were operated and 740 delivered normally in the 2011-12 period with the figure in 2012-13 recorded at 248 CS Ops and 650 normal deliveries.
In langol View Charitable Clinic & Maternity Home also at RIMS Gate, out of 1625 deliveries, 1008 of them were through CS Ops in 2011 and the following year there were 984 deliveries through CS Ops compared to 576 normal child births.
maipakpi Maternity and Child Hospital, North AOC had 883 normal deliveries and 576 CS Ops in 2011 with the 2012 figure said to be 1050 normal deliveries and 591 CS Ops.