AP To Promote Natural Childbirths In State Hospitals
Selected staff nurses will be trained to support expectant mothers, educate them on the benefits of natural delivery, and provide postnatal care: Reports
VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh government has introduced a new scheme to promote natural deliveries in government hospitals, under which staff nurses will undergo an 18-month training programme supported by the National Health Mission.
Health minister Satya Kumar Yadav has approved the initiative. Selected staff nurses will be trained to support expectant mothers, educate them on the benefits of natural delivery, and provide postnatal care. The training aims to ensure better outcomes for both mothers and newborns. Each nurse will receive a stipend during the training period, with the overall cost estimated at ₹2.5 lakh per person.
Health officials have identified 86 government hospitals where annual deliveries range between 600 and 6,000. A total of 1,264 midwives, who are trained nurses, will be appointed across these facilities.
The minister also directed that trained midwives be posted in Primary Health Centres located in both rural and tribal areas to further promote natural childbirths.
In 2024–25, 56.12 per cent of deliveries in Andhra Pradesh were conducted via caesarean section. Government hospitals accounted for 41.40 per cent of these, while private hospitals reported a significantly higher rate of 67.71 per cent.