Ensure safe motherhood

After conceiving a child, it is crucial to take necessary measures to eliminate pregnancy-related and childbirth-related complications to ensure that a mother is protected from life-threatening risks. Ensuring safe motherhood involves providing the appropriate medical care and environment. A pregnant woman has the right to receive healthcare from the time of conception until after the child is born. Over the past forty years, Bangladesh has made significant contributions to safe motherhood services, reducing maternal and infant mortality rates to a notable degree globally.

Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen has also praised these efforts. However, it is unfortunate that due to a lack of awareness and negligence, many expectant mothers still face tragic deaths. According to news published on Thursday, July 25, a pregnant woman in Netrakona Sadar Upazila died due to incorrect medical treatment. When she experienced labor pains, her family was taking her to the Mother and Child Welfare Center in the upazila. On the way, they encountered a midwife named Rowshan Akhtar.

Rowshan convinced them that if they went to the hospital, the doctors would refer them for a cesarean section. Assuring them of a normal delivery, she influenced the family to take the pregnant woman to her rented house. There, she induced labor using artificial means before the due time. This caused excessive bleeding in the pregnant woman. Her condition deteriorated, and she was taken to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, where she passed away during treatment.

From this incident, several issues become apparent. First, the level of unawareness among many expectant families. Second, the number of unskilled midwives still working in this profession. Third, the influence of fear over cesarean sections on families opting for normal deliveries.

Discussing the last point first, unnecessary cesarean sections during childbirth have become a fraudulent business in Bangladesh. A survey revealed that over 50% of cesarean sections in Bangladesh are unnecessary. The High Court has had to issue guidelines to curb unnecessary cesarean sections.

To avoid cesareans, many expectant families still rely on midwives rather than hospitals. The second point is how can any uneducated family think of having a baby delivered by a midwife in this modern age of medical science? And how do these midwives continue working in such a complex profession? Why aren't legal actions taken against them?

Turning to the first point, despite numerous campaigns, many families in Bangladesh remain unaware of safe childbirth services. The clear reason for this is a lack of education. Every year on May 28, World Safe Motherhood Day is observed. During this time, the media features some awareness-raising reports, but more awareness advertisements and reports are necessary to ensure safe motherhood.

The government should take more extensive initiatives to ensure safe motherhood. We do not want another expectant mother to face such a tragic death due to mistakes. We also demand that the accused midwife be brought to justice swiftly. If criminals are not given exemplary punishment, such crimes will continue to rise.