Chittoor: As part of maternal and child healthcare initiatives, District Collector Sumit Kumar has instructed medical officers to ensure continuous supervision so that ANMs (Auxiliary Nurse Midwives) and ASHA workers perform their duties diligently in their respective areas.

Speaking at a review meeting on Wednesday, the Collector said that maternal and infant deaths can be completely prevented if services under the RCH (Reproductive and Child Health) programme, such as the registration of pregnant women and the delivery of necessary healthcare services, are provided meticulously and thoroughly. The meeting was aimed at discussing three recent maternal deaths that occurred in Kolamasanapalle, Ogu and Vijalapuram PHCs.

He stated that there should be no lapses in the registration of pregnant women and that Anganwadi registers must be properly maintained for accuracy.

He highlighted that timely provision of nutritional supplements through Anganwadi centres can help prevent anaemia among pregnant women.

The Collector stressed that ANMs and ASHA workers should pay special attention to pregnant women right from the time of conception until delivery, ensuring they do not develop anaemia. High-risk pregnant women should be monitored closely for their health status and provided with appropriate medical care as needed. He called for proactive measures both at the district level and primary healthcare level to ensure maternal deaths do not occur in the future.

Sumit Kumar added that registering every newborn child is crucial to ensure timely vaccination and to monitor the health status of children regularly. In this context, medical officers play a key role in ensuring that ANMs and ASHA workers fulfill their responsibilities efficiently.

District Medical and Health Officer Dr DT Sudha Rani, Deputy DM&HO Dr Venkata Prasad, DIO Dr C Hanumantha Rao, programme officers, medical officers, and other officials were present.