Abstract:

Better quality of care around the time of childbirth can significantly improve maternal and new-born survival. In countries like India, where the private sector contributes to a considerable proportion of institutional deliveries, it is important to assess the quality of maternity care offered by private sector healthcare facilities. This study seeks to fill that information gap by analysing baseline assessments conducted for the Manyata program, which aims to improve the quality of maternity care at private facilities.Human Rights Watch had hoped to include the perspectives of doctors or health workers who were suspended, dismissed, or arrested following complaints about maternal health care in Tamilnadu. Unfortunately, we were able to trace only one such health worker, a hospital staff nurse.Health workers and nongovernmental organizations providing services to villagers assisted Human Rights Watch in identifying pregnant women and families to interview.This report's focus is on the last of these three prongs, the state's internal monitoring of policies, practices, and performance. While the arguments presented in this report address the specific issue of preventable maternal mortality and morbidity, accountability as a human rights principle is central to the right to the highest obtainable standard of health more generally.

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