Pilot project to distribute BP machines

PATNA: State Health Society (SHS) Bihar, with assistance from Unicef, would on September 16 launch a pilot project to distribute digital blood pressure (BP) measuring machines in Vaishali district to ensure regular check-up of BP of pregnant women.
The project would be launched initially in four blocks of Vaishali - Hajipur Sadar, Bidupur, Goraul and Mahua.Health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey would distribute these machines among the doctors and auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) of all these four blocks.
Health secretary Sanjay Kumar said the initiative would help in reducing maternal mortality rate (MMR) and neonatal mortality. He said hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, including pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, are major causes of maternal mortality, with data collected from various states and institutions pegging it between 12%-15% of the maternal mortality.
Pre-eclampsia not only causes maternal mortality but also fatal morbidity by means of intrauterine growth restriction, which further increases neonatal mortality through premature and low-birth babies. Kumar said regular blood pressure check-up during antenatal period also forms an important component of quality antenatal care. Medical officers and ANMs would be imparted training to use the equipment.