Vijayawada: In a bid to curb unnecessary caesarean deliveries, the govt has mandated all the network hospitals empanelled under the Dr NTR Vaidya Seva Trust scheme to conduct an audit of C-section deliveries henceforth. In this regard, the Vaidya Seva Trust on Thursday directed all network hospitals to perform caesarean sections only when medically indicated and to maintain complete documentation supporting every procedure. Hospitals have been instructed to record the medical indications, clinical findings, diagnostic reports and other evidence justifying each caesarean delivery.
The decision follows a review by health minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav, who expressed concern over the high number of caesarean deliveries being conducted under the scheme. He directed officials to take stringent measures to prevent medically unwarranted C-sections.
Against this backdrop, NTR Vaidya Seva Trust CEO KVN Chakradhar Babu issued a circular making it mandatory for hospitals to strictly adhere to standard treatment protocols, clinical guidelines and statutory regulations while conducting caesarean deliveries.
Under the revised guidelines, every C-section carried out under the scheme will be subject to audit by the Trust or an authorised official. Hospitals failing to document valid medical reasons, maintain mandatory records and comply with the prescribed guidelines will face strict action under the terms and conditions of their empanelment agreement.
The Trust has also made it mandatory for the network hospitals to generate an Ayushman Bharat Health Account ID and create an electronic health record for every eligible patient before undertaking any medical procedure under the scheme. It also said no treatment under the scheme will be permitted without these digital records.
Additionally, all doctors and healthcare professionals involved in patient care at network hospitals must be registered in the healthcare professionals registry, the circular read, adding that all the new directions have come into force with immediate effect.
