Bharat Kumar Maheshwari1, Shahzad Ali Khan, Ejaz Sahu, Azizullah Memon, Monika Maheshwari, Jai Ram Dewani.
Still how far to reach: situational analysis of emergency obstetric care facilities in Tharparkar, a far reached district of Pakistan.
Pak J Public Health Jan ;3(4):20-6.

Introduction:Maternal death is not only a tragedy for a family but it is failure of healthcare system and health policy of a country because it is a joint responsibility of global health community. Maternal mortality is still high in Pakistan. Increasing availability & accessibility to Emergency obstetric care (EmOC) services is the key to this problem. The objective of the study was to assess the availability & accessibility of six signal functions of EmOC & eight signal functions of Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care in district Tharparkar Methodology:This descriptive study used situation analysis approach for assessment of EmOC services at total 8 obstetric care providing public health facilities from April to June 2011. The data on primary and secondary data on pre-tested questionnaire and quick EmOC facility assessment checklists as well as interviewing the incharge of facility. Questionnaire was designed as per International Standard questionnaire using recommended UN process indicators for EmOC. SPSS version 16 was used to analyze the data. Descriptive statistics e.g. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for district Population, staff, their availability, medicine/ Equipment. Results: Despite of required 2 comprehensive and 10 basic EmOC facilities there was only 1 comprehensive (Mithi) and 7 basic EmOC facilities [Chhachhro Taluka (2), Diplo Taluka (2) & Nagarparkar Taluka (2) Mithi Taluka (1) available in district Thaparkar. At all facilities, the UN process indicators were below the minimum recommended. Minimum distance required to reach a BEmOC or CEmOC is 1 to 2 Kilometers while maximally it was upto 90 Kilometers with a median distance of 30 Kilometers. In case of referral to higher facility, this distance still increased upto 160 Kilometers with a mean of 41 Kilometers. Conclusion: The district is in acute and utmost need of strengthening the district health system and provision of more resources with emphasis on maternal health

PakMediNet -Pakistan's largest Database of Pakistani Medical Journals - http://www.pakmedinet.com