For the first time, the Virudhunagar Health Unit District (HUD) in Tamil Nadu has achieved zero maternal deaths in a year. From April 2023 to March 2024, there were 7,991 deliveries recorded in the Virudhunagar HUD, and not a single maternal death occurred, according to health officials.
HUDs in Tamil Nadu consist of 30 to 40 primary health centers (PHCs) grouped together. They are different from revenue districts. Virudhunagar is one of Tamil Nadu’s 45 HUDs. In the previous year (2022-23), Virudhunagar HUD had 8,483 live births and reported six maternal deaths.
The Health Management Information System (HMIS) data shows that the overall maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in Tamil Nadu dropped to 45.5 per 100,000 live births in 2023-24, down from 52.3 in 2022-23. This success is attributed to better coordination between PHCs and secondary and tertiary care hospitals.
Virudhunagar HUD comprises 22 primary health centers. In the Virudhunagar revenue district, there are two HUDs: Virudhunagar and Sivakasi. Sivakasi HUD recorded two maternal deaths until February 2024.
Dr. Pitchaikali, district mentor of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, praised the joint efforts of health department officials and the district collector for this achievement. A WhatsApp group was created by the Virudhunagar Collector in 2022, where private and government doctors shared updates on deliveries. If complications arose, patients were immediately transferred to tertiary care hospitals.
The first step in achieving zero maternal deaths was identifying low-risk and high-risk pregnant women. High-risk women were referred to the nearest Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) centers for delivery. Improved infrastructure in these centers also played a crucial role.
Health Minister Ma Subramanian encouraged other districts to follow the Virudhunagar HUD model. He highlighted that 99.9% of deliveries in Tamil Nadu occur in hospitals, with 59% happening in government facilities. An audit will be conducted on caesarean section deliveries in private hospitals.
A workshop titled “Bringing Down the Maternal Mortality Rate: Connecting Missing Dots” was held for health officials and workers. Health Secretary Supriya Sahu mentioned that 75% of maternal deaths in the last decade occurred during the postnatal period, and 25% during the prenatal period.
Shilpa Prabhakar, mission director of the National Health Mission-Tamil Nadu, stressed the importance of preventing avoidable deaths and ensuring regular follow-ups for pregnant women. Dr. T.S. Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, identified hemorrhage, hypertension, and sepsis as the main causes of maternal deaths.