India announces audit of maternal deaths

New Delhi: Aug 30, 2010

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said that an audit of maternal deaths will be conducted soon in all states. "This year, we have taken another new initiative on a national level and that is the introduction of maternal death audits at the community as well as the facility level," he said. "Some states have already started doing it, while others are in advanced stages of preparation," Azad said, pointing out that availability of accurate data on maternal mortality was a major concern for policy makers. Addressing an international conference which will deliberate on achievements and drawbacks in the field of combating maternal mortality, the minister described effective implementation of the existing schemes as the main problem.

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