MOTHER scheme lauded by Shombi Sharp from United Nations during his visit to Mawtawar in East Khasi Hills

In the difficult terrain of Meghalaya, women have long grappled with a unique set of challenges that have shaped their experience of motherhood. These challenges include limited access to healthcare, modern medicines, and necessary infrastructure. Despite these obstacles, women in Meghalaya have shown remarkable resilience and resourcefulness in providing for their families and communities. To ascertain the change the policy like MOTHER by the Government of Meghalaya, Mr. Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator for India & Team visited Mawtawar SC/HWC (Health and Wellness Centers) East Khasi Hills on 7th July 2023 along with Shri. Sampath Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary Health & Family Welfare Government of Meghalaya, and Smt. R. M Kurbah, IAS, Deputy Commissioner East Khasi Hills, Dr. A. Lyngdoh DMHO, Dr E L Kharmutee, DMCHO and Officials from UN, UNICEF, UNDP, District, Block and Medical Officer in-charge Mawroh PHC, Dr. K Mawroh were also present.

Under the abled leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Shri Conrad K Sangma, there have been numerous policies like MOTHER, CM-SMS, being undertaken those aim to empower women by ensuring their health rights. Meghalaya is also the first State in the country to conceptualize the Early Childhood Development Mission (ECD). This is to ensure that the State effectively tackles the problem of malnutrition among children. A country’s growth can only be celebrated if its citizens are aiding in the country’s development through their skills via a healthy body and mind. Thus, it becomes a foremost objective for any country or state to provide basic healthcare and nutrition to children and mothers for the country to develop. The Government of Meghalaya in its mission to decrease the MMR and IMR across the state, commenced the MOTHER project to provide pro-active healthcare services to the beneficiaries, in this case mothers and new-born children. MOTHER stands for Measurable Outcomes in Transforming Health sector through a holistic approach with focus on women’s EmpoweRment. It aims to bring about a change in the status quo of the delivery of various services by leveraging technology. The main idea behind MOTHER is the identification of the targeted beneficiaries, which is then supplemented by regular tracking and follow-ups.

Speaking during his visit to the health center, Mr. Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator for India, stated, “It has been a pleasure visiting the health center here in Meghalaya, and what astonishes me that under the leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Shri Conrad K Sangma, his MOTHER program which is an app based digital platform to outreach any nearby health centers connecting the healthcare workers with the mothers during labor pains and last stage of pregnancy. In a difficult terrain like Meghalaya, this has created wonders especially among high-risk mothers. By putting this scheme in place, home based care and transit centers have added value where mothers can come in and stay to avoid any complications and ensure better care, the period of stay can be between a week to a month before they are shifted to the main healthcare facilities. We have seen in the past that 20% of mortality were happening during the transit period. It is heartening to note that this platform is now being extended as SAVE MOTHERS to the would-be mothers themselves and here in this center for the last one year there has been no cases of human mortality for high-risk mothers due to this effective online and seamless communication between mothers and healthcare providers.”

Ensuring, a healthy tomorrow, the State Government’s focus to provide quality healthcare services to mothers and infants has also seen good success under Chief Minister’s Safe Motherhood Scheme (CM-SMS) as it stands out as one of the most successful initiatives by the government. As part of CM-SMS, transit homes and vehicles for the transport of high-risk pregnant and expectant mothers are being made available. There are over 2.2 Lakh beneficiaries till date with 80+ transit homes and 150 vehicles for free transport stationed at the PHC/CHC 24 x7 basis to transport pregnant women without any cost to the mothers from villages to PHCs/CHCs to enhance the rate of institutional deliveries.