Is the Health System prepared for provision of Essential Maternal, Newborn and Child Health services in Northern Karnataka: Findings from a Mapping of public and private health facilities in Bellary District

The National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in Karnataka has made considerable investments in strengthening the infrastructure, building capacity of service providers, and ensuring adequate equipments, drugs and supplies in public health facilities. This paper aims to identify gaps for each care component at each level of the health system, against the national and state guidelines in terms of infrastructure, service provision, drugs, equipment and supplies, and population coverage. During June – July-2010, all the 379 public and 94 private facilities in district Bellary were mapped for availability of MNCH services, including infrastructure, staff, equipments, drugs and supplies. A large number of normal deliveries are occurring at higher level facilities, creating system inefficiencies. Basic emergency obstetric and newborn care (BEmONC) and comprehensive emergency obstetric and new born care (CEmONC) need to be established, according to population norms. Provision of safe abortion services at PHC and higher facilities will help reduce maternal mortality.