FOGSI (The Federation
of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India) in partnership with MSD
for Mothers, MacArthur Foundation and Jhpiego (an
affiliate of Johns Hopkins University), today launched Manyata –
a nationwide movement urging the need for quality care for mothers during and
immediately after childbirth when risks of life-threatening complications are
the highest. The movement was flagged off by Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty and
Pankaja Munde, Minister of Rural Development, Women and Child Welfare,
Government of Maharashtra.
Nearly 45,000 women die in India every year during childbirth
due to reasons entirely preventable. The movement is based on the premise that
culturally in India, pregnancies tend to be focused more about babies than
about mothers. A mother’s health is critical and equally precious as her
child’s health and her well-being, our collective responsibility.
Manyata calls for bringing all stakeholders together and raising
awareness about the fact that mothers are as important as their babies. She
need tools that empower her to make informed choices about where she seeks care
during pregnancy, as minimum
quality care is her basic right. #DontForgetMoms
As a step forward, the movement has already begun targeting
private maternity providers to adopt recognized standards for excellence in
maternity services and urges all stakeholders to build an ecosystem that
supports and centers around quality maternal care. FOGSI, MSD for Mothers and
Jhpiego have begun educating, and building capacities of private maternity
providers (where 40 percent of women in India choose to go for their
deliveries) on ground to adopt and adhere to FOGSI’s carefully-selected set of evidence-based
criteria based on WHO guidelines. Among other things, these include clinical
procedures of managing care during labour, delivery and the immediate
postpartum period. Based on rigorous assessment, the prestigious Manyata
certification will be awarded to those facilities that meet these standards.
Currently available to providers in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Maharashtra,
the initiative will be rolled out nationally over time. These efforts are being
made so that every expecting women can demand a Manyata standard of care for
herself.
Pankaja Munde, Minister of Rural Development, Women and Child
Welfare, said, “It is now high time that we put the focus back on women, their
needs, their health especially when they are expecting. Manyata should
not just be limited to private hospitals, but we should work towards
implementing this in all public hospitals across India.”
Speaking on the initiative, Shilpa Shetty said, “It
is time that the society also cared as much about the health and well-being of
mothers during childbirth, as the baby she brings to this world. Being a
mother, I would love to see everyone coming together to join the movement and
urge all expecting mothers to insist on quality care for herself. In popular
culture, women are hailed as symbols of sacrifice and conditioned to think that
they are second to their children and spouse. This is entirely a false
perception. We must demand the very best care for ourselves especially when it
comes to motherhood. Caregivers must also give equal attention to mothers as
much as their babies,” she added.
As part of the initiative, FOGSI will mentor a network of
trained volunteers who will help facilities improve and sustain stronger skill
sets as well as facilitate exchange of experiences. Dr. Hema
Divakar, National Convenor, Manyata and Former FOGSI President, said
“Manyata is not just a promise to expecting women for quality care, it is a
reality. It is FOGSI’s approval recognizing those who consistently deliver
quality care during pregnancy and childbirth knowing that better, safer and
respectful care will reach mothers. FOGSI’s clarion call through Manyata is to
engage as many providers as we possibly can so that no mother dies giving life.
It is a direction to our community of doctors that we must do whatever we can
because she matters. We must remember never to forget moms. We must empower
her. The time is right. The time is now.”
Feeling hopeful that this movement is a step in the right
direction, Dr. Rishma Pai, FOGSI President, added, “Supporting
quality improvement initiatives in private facilities will motivate peers to
join the quality movement. After all, be it the public or private hospital,
every mother deserves the best care wherever she chooses to go, because ‘She
Matters’”
MSD for Mothers, a key partner in this initiative, felt that Manyata augments
the Government’s efforts to work towards reducing maternal mortality in India
through the launch of many schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit
Matritva Yojana. Dr. Naveen Rao, Lead, MSD for Mothers said,
“We believe that in order to save mothers, we must design, deploy and scale
solutions in three areas: empowering women to make informed choices, equipping
health providers with the skills, tools and technologies they need to provide
high-quality care; and strengthening health systems to sustain the delivery of
high-quality services that benefit women and their communities. As India makes
giant strides, let’s show the world – there is no scope for maternal deaths and
lead by example.”
Dr. Bulbul Sood, Country Director, Jhpiego, added, “Jhpiego in its endeavor to
saving lives, improving health and transforming futures believes that through
programs like ‘Manyata’, we can strengthen the quality of care during the most
crucial period of a woman’s life so that motherhood is an experience that is
cherished and not grieved. We expect that in partnership with FOGSI, we would
be able to synergize the skills and systems that guarantee a healthier future
for women and their families. Let’s all work together to make this a reality.”
The launch brought together stakeholders from the national
government, civil society, doctors, development agencies and academics.
