Ranchi, April 11: Using crude tools like katari or hausa to cut the umbilical cord and bathing a newborn right after birth helps to “cleanse” him/her. This may sound shocking to us but these practices are continued in rural parts of Jharkhand.

There is a high mortality rate for both infants and expectant mothers in the state. The infant mortality rate is 69 while the maternal mortality rate (MMR) is 371 in Jharkhand, says Sujit Ranjan, state representative for CARE.

These figures are not only high but also alarming with the national average of MMR being between 420 and 540. And on a day when India celebrates Safe Motherhood Day one is forced to think whether expecting mothers in rural Jharkhand are at all safe.

“Although we try to reach out to most rural places to spread awareness about safe motherhood, unsafe practices and misconceptions are present everywhere,” says Ranjan.

He pointed out that in most villages, an expecting mother is not fed well as people think it would increase the baby’s weight, making delivery painful.

At most times when a mother delivers a baby in a village, traditional cutters are used instead of new blades to cut the umbilical cord, which is very unsafe.

“A majority of maternal deaths occur in the post-delivery period and the presence of a skilled attendant is the single critical factor that could save many lives,” explains Ranjan.

The state government is opting for a social audit to track the mortality rate in the state. It has sought technical support from CARE and other NGOs working for the upliftment of rural women.

“With help from the government, we hope to reach out to the remote villages to spread awareness,” says Ranjan.