Utilisation of health services, particularly, those of child and maternal health care and family planning methods are quite poor in Gorakhpur district. The IMR, MMR, CBR and DR of Gorakhpur district are 85 per thousand live births, 760 per lakh live birth, 33.2 per cent and 9.0 per cent, respectively. The routine immunisation coverage of children in Gorakhpur is around 65 per cent for BCG, 60 per cent for OPV and DPT and around 45 per cent for measles.

Further the dropout rate from first to third doses of OPV is more than 25 per cent. Similarly, for maternal health care coverage rate among eligible women is around 35 per cent for ANC with only less than 10 per cent taking complete dose. CPR of the Gorakhpur district is 38.2 per cent but unmet needs of family planning method for both is very high.

Thus utilisation of maternal health has much scope for improvement as unmet needs of family planning are not addressed adequately.

Key RCH Issues

• High incidence of infant death
• Difficulty in accessing of quality of reproductive and health care services
• Limited male participation in family planning
• Low immunisation level of pregnant women and children
• Poor ANC/PNC care services and facilities
• High unmet needs
• Low institutional deliveries and deliveries attended by trained and skilled birth attendant
• Poor emergency obstetrics services
• Myths and misconceptions
• Difficult topography
• Unavailability of regular medical care
• Unhygienic infant care practices
• Low education status
• Low income
• Lack of decision making power of women in heath seeking issues

A health awareness camp in progress