Bhubaneswar, July 22: The state government today directed health officials to step up care for pregnant women and highly vulnerable women and children living in inaccessible areas in an attempt to reduce the chances of maternal and infant mortality.

Chief secretary A.P. Padhi asked the officials to keep vulnerable pregnant women in matru gruha (maternity homes) ahead of their expected date of giving birth.

The state government is putting special emphasis on institutional deliveries in an attempt to reduce the maternal and infant mortality rates.

In a meeting with health officials that was presided over by the chief secretary, discussions were held on a variety of subject, including bringing expectant mothers to the hospitals from inaccessible areas and the role of the village welfare committee in this regard.

Several reports of emergency deliveries on the roadside or at places like on boats while crossing rivers are received nearly every day from across the state and that has come as an embarrassment for the government. Recently, news had reached Bhuba-neswar that a pregnant woman was made to cross the Kalyani river on a bamboo raft.

Sources said the problem was exacerbated by the unavailability of ambulance services in remote areas.

It was decided that the untied fund of Rs 10,000 given to each patient welfare committee could be utilised in the transportation of pregnant women to the hospitals.

The committees located in remote and inaccessible pockets had also been provided with stretchers for carrying the patients for delivery.

Padhi advised the health department to make arrangements for bike ambulances and boat ambulances in such difficult areas.

Earlier, Odisha had topped a list in a survey of maternal and infant mortality rates across the country.

During 1998-2000, the state's maternal mortality rate was 367 per 1 lakh pregnant women. After a series of initiatives by the state government, the rate came down to 222 in 2013. Similarly, the infant mortality rate was 96 per 1,000 live births in 2000. By 2015-16, it has been reduced to 40 as compared to the all-India average of 41.

Official sources said the rate of mortality of children between 0 and 5 years had also registered a significant decline (67 points). In 2015-16, the rate of mortality of this age group had been registered at 49 per 1,000 live births as compared to the national average of 50.

However, the state's performance in terms of institutional delivery and nutritional status was higher, compared to the national average.