Obstetricians attend workshop on ‘assisted vaginal births'
The Andhra Pradesh government, in collaboration with Fernandez Foundation and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), on Wednesday (June 25) inaugurated a Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop on Assisted Vaginal Births (AVB) in Vijayawada.
AVB is recognised as one of the seven signal functions of Basic Emergency Obstetric Care (BEmOC), but has seen declining practice in many health facilities. The two-day training programme aims to revive confidence and clinical proficiency in AVB to safely manage second-stage complications and reduce surgical interventions where avoidable, according to a press release from the Department of Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare.
During the workshop, senior obstetricians from 22 districts of the State will be trained in AVB techniques, including forceps and vacuum delivery, and they will then share the knowledge with health staff at district-level facilities. The training programme is being led by the clinical faculty members from Fernandez Hospital, Hyderabad.
Inaugurating the workshop, Health and Family Welfare Commissioner G. Veerapandian said there is a need to reduce unnecessary Caesarean sections in the State, which currently stood at 42.4% as per National Family Health Survey-5.
He said the workshop and the AVB project are part of the government's broader strategy to promote physiologic births, reduce maternal morbidity and integrate midwifery-led care into high-delivery facilities. The AVB project, funded by Laerdal Foundation, will be implemented across the State over a period of three years.
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