مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH - AN APPROACH THROUGH UNANI SYSTEM OF MEDICINE

Arabic abstract :

In any community, women in the reproductive age group and children constitute a priority group. In sheer numbers, they are major consumers of health services. They comprise approximately two-thirds of the population in the developing countries. In India, s women in the child bearing age (15- < 45yrs) constitute 21.7% and children under 15yrs of age constitute 37.3% of the total population. Thus, together they constitute nearly 60% of the total population [1 2]. Mothers and children not only constitute a large group, but they are also a” Vulnerable” or special- risk group. These groups are subjected to marked physical and physiological stress, exposed to unusual risks of widespread infection, poor nutrition, hazardous delivery, which , if not cared for, may cause serious deviation from normal health or even deaths. [1, 2]. Global deviations show that in developed regions, maternal mortality ratio averages at 30% 100,000 live births, in developing regions, the figure are 480 for the same number of live births. [1]. The high occurrence of morbidity among women and children is reflected in the fact that in a seven village study, two-thirds of the total morbidity in the entire schedule caste population studied was due to MCH related cases.[3]. The problems affecting the health of mother and child are multifactorial. Therefore, the protection of the health of this vulnerable group is of prime importance for building of a sound and healthy nation. The concept of maternal and child health was put into practice only recently (after 1900 in the west and after 1950 in India). The maternal and child welfare movement in India started with attempts to train the indigenous dais ( Traditional Birth Attendants, TBA) by Miss Hewlett of the Church of England Zenana Mission in India in 1866.Later on, All India League for maternal and child welfare was established in 1919 and became incorporated with the Red Cross Society. Till 1953, the MCH services in the districts were patchy and were rendered through maternity homes or trained midwives. From 1955 onwards.MCH services were linked with primary health centers in the rural areas. These services were started with the sole aim of reducing infant and maternal mortality.