A new survey report reveals that the majority of husbands in rural areas look after their pregnant wife followed by mother-in-law and mother in rural areas. The report recommends household-level intervention to build skills and capacity for better care of both maternal and new-born babies. The study reveals that in nearly two-thirds (62.
7%) of the cases, it was the husband who took care of the pregnant women at home followed by mother-in-laws (50%) and mothers (36.4%). The report also highlights a bleak picture of rural health systems such as non-functional health care centres, absence of diagnostic facilities to treat major and minor ailments and accessibility to affordable medicines in rural areas.
Moreover, it also underlines the rising mental health issues across genders. The report ‘State of Healthcare in Rural India Report-2024’ prepared by non-profits Transform Rural India Foundation and Development Intelligence Unit after surveying 21 states, recommend shifting away from traditional health delivery system to the ‘Neighbourhood of Care’ model where family members, friends or neighbourhoods get engaged in primary care of the patients. The model emphasizes on the empowerment and capacity building of individuals, family members (caregivers) and community members in terms of knowledge and skills of to take and provide care efficiently and scientifically.
The survey shows that the majority (95.7%) of the bedridden patients both elderly and non-elderly seek care at h.