AP Launches Midwife Training in 86 Hospitals to Reduce C-Sections
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Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government has initiated a large-scale midwife training program across 86 government hospitals, aimed at encouraging natural childbirth and reducing the rising number of C-section deliveries.
The programme, approved by Health, Medical and Family Welfare Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav, aims to train nurses over the next 18 months to serve as certified midwives or maternity assistants. This initiative is being implemented under the National Health Mission (NHM), with financial and technical support from the Union Government.
Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav approved the programme, wherein in the first phase, over 1,200 well-trained midwives will be appointed in nearly 86 government hospitals where annual deliveries range from 600 to over 6,000, reports PTI.
Currently, 56.12% of all childbirths in Andhra Pradesh are conducted via C-section. The numbers are particularly concerning in private hospitals, where the rate soars to 67.71%, while government hospitals report 41.40%. Health officials and experts attribute this trend to a lack of trained manpower, where overburdened staff nurses manage labour rooms without specialised support.
Each selected staff nurse will undergo 18 months of intensive training, funded at a cost of ₹2.5 lakh per trainee, which also includes a monthly stipend. The program is supported through the 2024–25 fiscal budget.
The midwives will be trained to monitor pregnant women's health during outpatient visits, provide counselling on nutrition, exercise, and mental well-being, assist in labour rooms, manage labour pain, and detect early signs of complications. They will also play a crucial role in postpartum care and mother-child bonding.
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The government hopes the initiative will enhance the quality of maternity care across the State and gradually bring down the C-section rate, ensuring safer births and healthier mothers, reports the TNIE.
