Insta
Greed Over Ethics? 9 Lakh C-Sections In Private Hospitals Were Needless, Driven By Financial Motive: IIM-A Report
A private hospital in Karnataka. (Mint via Getty Images)
A study conducted by IIM Ahmedabad has revealed that there was as many as nine lakh “preventable” and unplanned Caesarean section (C-section) deliveries out of the total seventy lakh in private hospitals, in India over one year, as reported by The Tribune.
It further says that a woman opting for the private facility is 13.5-14 percentage points more likely to undergo an unplanned C-section (compared to public facilities).
The staggering figures are based on the fourth round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), carried out in 2015-16. The data had found that 40.9 per cent births in private facilities in India were through C-section, which is 11.9 per cent in public facilities.
The study observes that “supplier-induced demand” for unplanned C-section births in private facilities is mainly driven by “financial incentives.” The IIM-A study, quoting NFHS data says that natural birth in private facility costs, on an average, Rs 10,814, while a C-section costs Rs 23,978.
The government will have to strengthen “public sector facilities, not just regarding equipment and staffing, but also in terms of facility timings, absenteeism and attitudes of service providers,” to bring down the number of “C-sections that are not needed,” the report said.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.
Latest
