Health specialists from all over the globe have gathered in Delhi for a conference related to UN’s Launch of Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health on Millennium Development Goal Summit. Launched in September 2010, this summit draws fund of more than $40 Billion for saving the lives of 16 million women and children.

The meeting- Pledges to Action is hosted by India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The dictum is how to reduce infant mortality rate in India which was 50 per 1000 live births in 2009.

To step forward in this regard, first facility based newborn care unit in Rajasthan was established with the support of UNICEF in Tonk district in 2008, there are 34 such newborn care units working in North-Western state of India, today.

The above news was first released on UNICEF’s official website today, especially focusing on Udaipur’s Maternity Ward (Pannadhay Rajkiya Mahila Chikitsalaya). The work of UNICEF is appraised and no doubt they deserve it, but to be more factual in regard to the ground reality I would like to shed light on the present condition of Udaipur’s Maharana Bhopal Hospital and in particular to the maternity ward where a shocking  incident was reported last night.

Last night at 1.15AM Janana Hospital’s cottage ward-2 known as Pannadhay Maternity Hospital in M.B Hospital Compound.

Suchita Bhatnagar delivered a baby 3 days ago and was admitted in ward no.2, one of the relative of deceased said that at night when Suchita heard her baby’s cry she asked her mother Krishnakanta, 75 yr old, to come up on bed and let her and baby sleep down on floor. Just after few minutes a part of roof ceiling fell down on Krisnakanta’s head. Call it fortunate or unfortunate but this incident makes our trust on God stronger and at the same time it breaks our trust on our hospital management.

Another story:

A tribal woman from nearby Rajsamand district delivered a baby in Maternity Ward and lost her baby just after 15 days of delivery. Surely the baby was taken away from the hospital itself. There is no clue of the baby till now. This is a month old incident.

Many such incidents happen every day here, some cases come in light while some disappear in the cloud of darkness. People don’t prefer to come forward in fear of negative output, if they protest against the administration.

UNICEF’s Representative in India, Karin Hulshof, paid a visit to the care unit in Udaipur recently and was touched by what she saw.

“It’s really wonderful to see the care and attention at this hospital,” she says. “There are doctors. There is a nurse. Sixty deliveries a day – 1,800 deliveries per month. This is really amazing. This is the incredible India that I like. This is India pointing in the right direction.” As published on UNICEF’s website.

So, if Ms. Karin Hulshof is reading this then I am sure she wouldn’t be so proud of what happened and what is happening in Udaipur’s Maternity ward.

If you think that I am relating two unrelated stories then let me clear my point that if UNICEF with Ministry of Health and Family Welfare are so concern about the lives of women and children than how much it is really affecting the patients using the facilities.

Good medicines, best doctors and number of nurses cannot be the only solution. Proper maintenance, security measures and hygiene is much needed or I say these are most awaited necessities which can, in real terms, benefit the citizens.

So if your motto is Pledges to Action then this is the right time.