Covid testing not necessary for maternal services: Govt

• Critical services for women, children should be provided irrespective of their covid status
• Denial of service can impact maternal and newborn mortalities, the health ministry says

NEW DELHI : Testing for covid-19 is not mandatory for RMNCAH+N services (reproductive, maternal, newborn, children, adolescent health plus nutrition), the central government said on Wednesday. The move will ensure that essential services for this segment of the population do not suffer.

There should not be a denial of essential services under any circumstance, the Union health ministry said after issuing a guidance note on RMNCAH+N services, which will be provided across different levels, not only in accordance with the categorization of containment zones and buffer zones, but beyond.

Critical services for women, children, and adolescents should be provided irrespective of their covid-19 status, the government maintained. Special efforts must also be made to continue essential and routine RMNCAH+N services in India, it said.

Any denial of service during this period can have an impact on maternal and newborn mortalities, and morbidities, as well as healthcare costs, the health ministry said. Regulating fertility is a necessity, and there is a need to enhance the provision of safe abortion services besides post-partum and post-abortion contraception, it said.

All covid-19 suspects and positive cases should preferably be provided services at dedicated covid facilities, the government said. Any area exiting a containment or buffer zone can start these activities 14 days after delisting, it said.

Not-for-profit and private sector hospitals can be involved in the provision of non-covid essential services wherever public sector capacity needs to be supported, it said.

India has the largest adolescent and youth population. Therefore, in addition to the priority for covid- 19 for health facilities and health workers, it is also vital that essential health services for the vulnerable are continued during the pandemic, it said.

The mother and newborn should be nursed together as far as possible and breastfeeding must be initiated within one hour of delivery, irrespective of covid-19 status, the ministry said.

However, the mother should put on a face mask and practice hand hygiene before feeding the child, it said.

Physical distancing, hand washing, and respiratory hygiene need to be maintained at all service areas by all beneficiaries and service providers, and facilities should follow a staggered approach, wherein adequate seating space for beneficiaries and caregivers with physical distancing is ensured.

Additional sessions and clinics could be organized to accommodate greater number of beneficiaries. “Community-based activities should have limited participation at a time. The procedure site and all equipment should be sanitized properly before and after the clinics and sessions," it added.

According to Poonam Muttreja, executive director, Population Foundation of India (PFI), “There are limitations in accessing health services, especially reproductive health and family planning services, because of the curbs in place during the lockdown. The government has included family planning services and goods as essential services and commodities. This is a welcome step and we hope that this continues to remain in the essential services list beyond the covid emergency."

Meanwhile, the government also said that the testing capacity has increased in the country through 435 government laboratories and 189 private facilities. Cumulatively, 32,42,160 samples have been tested so far for covid-19, with 1,16,041 samples tested on Tuesday. The recovery rate in the country has improved to 42.4%, while the fatality rate is 2.86%, compared to the global average of 6.36%, the government said.

As on Wednesday, 930 dedicated covid hospitals with 1,58,747 isolation beds, 20,355 intensive care unit (ICU) beds and 69,076 oxygen-supported beds are available. As many as 2,362 dedicated covid health centres with 1,32,593 isolation beds, 10,903 ICU beds and 45,562 oxygen-supported beds have been operationalized. There are 10,341 quarantine centres and 7,195 covid care centres in India with 6,52,830 beds.

The central government has also provided 113.58 lakh N95 masks and 89.84 lakh personal protective equipment (PPE) kits to the states, Union territories, and central institutions.

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