Srinagar: Waking up to the rampant practice of Cesarean deliveries, Jammu and Kashmir government has initiated a C-section audit in the healthcare setups. A C-section is a surgical procedure used to deliver a baby through incisions in the abdomen and uterus. According to the guidelines laid down by the World Health Organization (WHO), the procedure should only be used in complicated pregnancies....
`Why hospitals can’t go for normal deliveries’: J&K govt cracks whip, launches C-section audit in healthcare setups
The national average of C-section is 15-20 percent. However, C-section is highest in Jammu and Kashmir. According to the National Health Family Survey 5,  C-section procedures have seen a jump of over 60-70 percent. In some blocks like Pulwama, the percentage even touches 80.
Figures accessed by The  suggest that tertiary care hospitals in the valley account for 45 to 50 percent of C-section deliveries. For instance, the lone maternity hospital of the valley, Lal Ded shows 54 percent, while SMHS Hospital, Srinagar indicates 50 percent of C-section deliveries. The scenario is the same for the private hospitals where the percentage stands at 100.
Project Manager National Health Mission Dr. Qazi Haroon said they are aiming to reduce the C-section deliveries through a proper audit and communication-based strategies.
“For the audit, we are trying to dig deeper and list reasons as to why the hospitals can’t go for normal deliveries. Our target is to reduce the percentage to at least 20 and promote good health-seeking behavior in young healthy females,” Dr. Haroon said.