Factors affecting accessibility of maternal health-care institutions in Meghalaya: A hospital-based study

BACKGROUND: The present study determines to understand the maternal health-care infrastructure in Meghalaya, a state of Northeast India. The state has large number of population of 2,964,007 (Census 2011), however, the state has only two public District Hospitals related to maternal health-care services – one in East Khasi Hills District and the other one in West Garo Hills District. Furthermore, according to the National Rural Health Mission (2015–2016), the maternal mortality ratio of Meghalaya is 211/100,000 live births which is higher than the national average. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A hospital-based mixed method study has carried out to identify the problems faced by the women during their maternity period and to assess the quality and availability of maternal care infrastructure in Meghalaya. To conduct the interview, the present study covered all 80 pregnant women who were admitted in the major two district maternal health-care hospitals of Meghalaya for maternity care (i.e., delivery and postdelivery period) during the period of hospital visit in October 2019. RESULTS: The study shows that majority of the admitted women came from different villages of different districts of Meghalaya as those remote areas have no adequate maternal health-care institutions nearby other than dispensary or subcenter. The study also revealed that women who came to get treatment in hospital during pregnancy had to face difficulties like to travel a long distance, use public transport, bad road conditions, and financial problems. CONCLUSION: To improve the health scenario of health-care system in the remote village areas, the Government should give more focus on infrastructure development in terms of availability of adequate facilities for handling any emergency cases of maternal care in remote areas of Meghalaya.