MPH of Chechnya reports decrease in infant mortality, mothers complain about extortions at maternity homes

In 2011, the birth rate in Chechnya was again significantly higher than the Russian national average, said the local Ministry of Public Health (MPH). In parallel with the birth rate growth, doctors state decrease of infant mortality against previous years. Meanwhile, a number of local women complain of corruption at maternity hospitals; however, the MPH does not confirm this information.

"In 2011, 34,118 babies were born in Chechnya, which is more than twice the Russian national average. At the same time, we mark a decrease in infant mortality compared to previous years. This positive dynamics is due, first of all, to the increased quality of medical care and improved material-technical equipment at medical institutions," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told at the MPH of Chechnya.

The spokesperson of the Ministry also said that last year Chechnya saw a birth of a quadruplet - the first in recent years.

Many babies - six thousand - were born last year in Grozny; however, maternity patients of the hospitals and the central maternity house of the Chechen capital are complaining that they have to pay money to medical workers.

Medics extort money, mothers say; MPH does not agree

"What's going on at our maternity hospitals is just awful. From the first days, nurses are literally extorting money from women in labour. We have to pay for injections, examinations, not to mention taking delivery. Every new mother pays 5-8000 roubles at least. The quality of services in general is beyond comments. It's very low," said Markha T., a resident of Grozny.

"At the central maternity hospital, where we put our daughter-in-law, there was no normal care. Nurses took care only of those young moms who had already paid for everything; or of those who were relatives of big bosses. The treatment of all others by obstetricians and nurses was just boorish. Every new mother must bring with her not only clothes and everything else for the newborn, but also disposable diapers. Where all this is then spent - nobody knows," said Zalina S., another local resident.

Another serious problem, as highlighted by local women, which exists at maternity homes, is that doctors make - under far-fetched arguments - unnecessary caesarean sections on women in labour.

"This is done with the only aim in mind - to make money," Kheda I., a member of a local NGO, is convinced.

She believes that "medics are convincing a maternity patient and her relatives that she has some pathology, and that the only way to give birth to a child is to agree to a surgery. They have to pay 12,000 roubles for a caesarean section, which is 1.5-2 times more than for a normal childbirth. This is observed in virtually all medical institutions."

Earlier, as the "Caucasian Knot" has reported, the MPH of Chechnya assured that they had received no complaints from pregnant women about any facts of extortion and bribery on the part of the medical personnel. "Many women themselves voluntarily 'pay doctors just in case', and then assure everyone that money was extorted from them," said a source from the MPH of Chechnya.

He noted that all Chechen hospitals have ads, indicating the number of the telephone "hotline", which can be used by any patient to call and report about violations, absence of drugs, or extortion of bribes.