BHOPAL: Doctors from different parts of the state associated with Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) - popularly referred to as 'I pledge for 9', were felicitated at a programme in the city on Monday.PMSMA aims at providing free health check-up to pregnant women at government health centres and hospitals. In all, 63 government and private practitioners were awarded at the function presided over by state health minister Rustam Singh."Institutional human resource, access to nutrition and other supplements besides social obstacles are key to further reducing maternal and infant mortality in MP," said Umakant Umrao, Narmadapuram divisional commissioner, citing the issues along the Narmada region.The division innovated to reduce infant mortality by 20%. 100% of high risk mother went for institutional delivery, he claimed. Umrao was given a national award for efforts at the function.Dr Hemraj Bokde, Anaesthesiologist: Native of Sausar, Dr Bokde took a job as anaesthesiologist in his native area to serve people in his area. When he had joined in 2005, later through efforts of Dr Bokde, the health centre, which was upgraded to civil hospital. It took about three years to convert it into civil hospital. OT and other basic infrastructure were established at the centre around 2008. Around one dozen interventions per month take place at the hospital. It caters to nearly two lakh population in the area.Neena Gideon, HoD, obstetrics and gynaecology : Introduced safer cesarean section operation. She dubbed her innovation 'Gideon suture' a tool for making medical intervention for pregnant safe and minimally invasive. Over a dozen C-sections are performed at the hospital per day, Dr Gideon said.Dr Vaishali Nigam : She was the only doctor at the centre when NICU began. The NICU, 22-bed facility, was started more than a year ago. In last one year, mortality numbers have reduced to nearly half from a high of 18%. NICU is required for about 45% of maternal cases, she said. Dr Nigam said newborn babies who need intensive medical attention often require NICU care. The NICU combines advanced technology and trained healthcare professionals to provide specialised care. Survival of babies born as low weight as 700 gm is now possible by our care, she said. A normal baby at birth is about 2.5 kg.

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