In a scenario where India is striving hard to reduce its Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) to meet the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDG) – GVK EMRI, the world’s largest Integrated Emergency Response Management service is helping reduce these indicators across India.
Since its inception in 2005, the GVK EMRI service has helped transport more than 25 million patients to medical facilities out of which the more than 8 million (> 30 percent) have been pregnancy related cases. This timely intervention has helped reduce the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) significantly. In a state like Tamil Nadu where the service was started in 2008, the maternal mortality rate has also decreased from 85 to 79 per 100,000 live births. Since 2008, it has also helped the government reduce the infant mortality rate from 35 to 22 per 1,000 live births.
Similarly, In Gujarat where the service has been active since 2007, the service has helped bring down the MMR figures by 15 percent. In Andhra Pradesh, where the GVK EMRI services were launched in 2005, a 13 percent reduction in MMR figures has been recorded. The Government of India and various State Governments have been working hard to reduce MMR by promoting Institutional Delivery and have launched various schemes to achieve this goal. While these schemes have had a significant impact, India still has a high MMR of around the 170 deaths per 100,000 live births against the MDG mandated target of 103 deaths per live births to be achieved by 2015.
One of the chief causes of Maternal Deaths identified by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is delay in identification and transportation of the pregnant woman to a nearby medical facility. In a diverse country like India with a large rural population, varied geography and inadequate transport infrastructure; this issue gets compounded. And where emergency transport is available, the ambulance staff is often not trained to handle such cases, should a woman deliver en route.
GVK EMRI ambulance staff has been specially trained in basic life and cardiac support, as well as support in obstetrics. In fact, GVK EMRI technicians have successfully assisted in nearly 300,000 deliveries which took place en route to the medical facility itself.
According to Dr. GVK Reddy, Chairman and Managing Director – GVK, “The GVK has always endeavoured to contribute to the nation building by developing world class infrastructure projects that meet global environment standards , while also being equally sensitive about the issue of social upliftment of the less privileged. GVK EMRI is one of our most significant social initiatives and we are happy to be playing our part in saving lives and assisting government meet important social goals.”
Going further, keeping the specialised needs of pregnant ladies and infants in mind, GVK EMRI has now launched specialised vehicles to transport them. Under the Janani Shishu Surakshan Yojana (AP) / Khilkhilahat (Gujarat) / Khushion Ki Sawari (Uttarakhand) / Adarani (Assam) scheme – it has introduced sterilised vehicles which are completely equipped and insulated to avoid external factors such as hazardous gases, materials and shifts mothers and infants in a safe and secured environment. Besides this, the vehicle also carries a counsellor who educates mother on infant care and provides them with leaflets, hand outs during the journey.
EH News Bureau – Mumbai