Shivnath rural municipality achieves zero maternal and infant mortality through safe maternity initiative

Baitadi: Shivnath Rural Municipality in Baitadi has launched a 'Zero Home Delivery' campaign, resulting in zero maternal and infant mortality within its jurisdiction. To support the campaign, the municipality has established 17 safe maternity service centers across its wards.

Shivnath Ward No. 3 has already been declared a zero home delivery ward, and efforts are underway to extend the initiative to all other wards, according to Rural Municipality Chairman Karnasingh Saund. He stated that maternity service centers have been set up specifically to serve settlements located far from established health institutions.

Currently, there are 17 maternity service centers operating in six wards: three each in Wards 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6, and two in Ward 3. The centers are functioning both within and outside existing health institutions, ensuring round-the-clock access to safe maternity services.

Chairman Saund noted that since 2074 BS, the local government has prioritized health by establishing these centers in every ward based on community needs. The municipality has allocated nearly 20 million rupees to the health sector for the current fiscal year and plans to maintain health as a top priority in the upcoming budget as well.

Chief Administrative Officer Narendra Singh Mahata confirmed that the expansion of maternity services has led to a significant milestone: zero maternal and infant deaths in the municipality. In the past year alone, over 400 women have received services from the safe maternity centers and health institutions within Shivnath.