Ensuring safety of pregnant women &baby

Background : The Infant Mortality Ratio and Mother mortality Ratio has been high in our country. It is higher than some poor countries of the world. India is now ranking 5th in the scientific development in the world with world class medical facilities. But, still pregnant women and new born babies are suffering.

Reasons :
1. After the traditional systems have gone, most of the people don't know about pregnancy care, except depending upon the doctors.
2. Preparing for the pregnancy has been developed as separate study in the west. In Indian context, it is a much neglected subject.
3. Pregnant women is treated as Goddess Laxmi. But, nutritional feeding of her is neglected due to various reasons including ignorance and poverty.
4. Medical facilities are still not available are inadequately available to poor people and in Rural areas.
5. Still many people feel the tension during the pregnancy, with which risk of delivery increases.
6.  Folic acid rich foods and Iron rich foods are not provided and properly propagated for consumption.
7. Post pregnancy care is not available still in some towns.
8. The institutional deliveries are not still 100%, causing a lot of problems.
9. Physical activity is being neglected by the pregnant women. It causes problems during the delivery.
10. High risk cases shall be assessed early and proper care shall be given to avoid problems in delivery.

Operational problems of Dry waste purchase programme

Mahabubnagar municipality had started the Dry waste purchase programme to achieve the source segregation of the waste.   There are so many operational problems in this programme. We have tried to find the solutions. They are as follows :

1. Some people are mixing the waste. They are not handing over the dry waste alone. It is hampering the quality of Dry waste.
Solution: pamphlets are distributed. elucidated  what is dry waste and what is wet waste. The waste is segregated in front of the households. Meetings are conducted and clarified what is wet waste and dry waste.

2. Some people not accepted to receive the 1 Rupee for dry waste.
This is a serious problem. It was explained during the meetings that money is given as incentive. Workers can receive the dry waste free of cosy, if someone is not interested in selling.

3. Some people are refusing to come and sell at certain points.
Workers were instructed to move to each house for the comfort of households. The number of workers were increased to achieve this objective.

4. The increment in purchasing was not substantial in some areas.
Sol: In veerannapet and shahsaheb gutta , the dry waste was not increased . Awareness meetings were conducted. Pamphlets were distributed.

5. Some people are not handing over the dry waste and still habituate to throw it in drains.
It was instructed to Jawans to identify such Households and put a cross mark on their house with Red marker pen. Some people were personally warned.

6. The tools and plants are not provided properly.
Whistles, spring balance of 5 kg, Bags, vehicles are nessessary. The same was provided compolsurily after some initiatial problems.

7.Some people thought that dry waste purchase programme is a worker intensive.
In the initial stages it is a worker intensive. Once the collection of dry waste is stabilised, the desiltation of drains were not that required. In Yedira it use to take 5 to 6 days to clean a drain on rotation basis. After the initiative it only 2 to 3 days for drain cleaning. Astonishingly, one of our Jawans have got cleaned the Appanapally Bridge after a long gap of 2 years with the existing labour as drain cleaning time was substantially reduced.

8. Some people thought whether this programme is sustainable as revenue can be generated out of this waste.
The waste was not purchased as it is in Mahabubnagar as was the case in khammam. Again 3 workers have to be deployed to segregate further. Subsequently, it was sold. On an average, 2 to 3 rupees per kilogram was obtained. Also, some philanthropists have donated IEC material. Hence, it was self sustainable.

9. Some staff had asked whether this much process is required for waste collection
Sol: It was explained that source segregation is mandatory as per Solid Waste Management Rules- 2000. This dry waste purchase programme is only a fecilitating aspect. In commercial areas the whole work is dealt differently without payment.

10. Sanitation staff was facing difficulties in convincing households and they lack support of people.
Sol: Wherever problems are identified,  awareness meetings are organised for explaining the advantages.  Also, 30 R. Ps are also trained to motivate people and sanitation committees are formed to assist sanitation staff.