Desist from Caesarean sections, TN Health Minister tells gynaecs

Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian has advised private hospitals in the state to refrain from going for Caesarean sections, giving in to the wishes of the pregnant women and their families. Caesarean sections before maturity of the foetus are risky for the babies, the minister said.

In his address at the Government Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (IOG) expressed concern that women were going in for Caesarean section to give birth to their babies to coincide with the birthdays of their loved ones, actors or other personalities or on auspicious days. He said that such women need counselling and added that he was happy that some hospitals were doing this.

Subramanian said that his department will soon issue letters to all hospitals to take steps to reduce Caesarean sections to 20 pr cent. He said that in government hospitals the incidence would be brought down from 40 per cent to 20 per cent and in private hospitals from 60 per cent to 20 per cent.

He observed that for some medical professionals, health care is a business and appealed that they should remember it is a service to the people.

The government led by Chief Minister M K Stalin would soon launch a Comprehensive Emergency and New Born Care Centre in two districts.

The HealthMinister was at an event organised to appreciate the doctors and medical staff for conducting 68 deliveries in 24 hours, 60 per cent of which were normal deliveries.