Detriments and Utilisation of Maternal Health Care Services in Urban slums of Agra City

Abstract

Access of slum population to basic services is a key indicator of the quality of life in slums in particular and the city in general. Basic infrastructure includes roads, sewer lines, storm water drains, community latrines, street lights, drinking water supply, school, electricity; health centers etc. In this paper research was a cross-sectional and descriptive survey conducted in the slums of Agra from March 2017 to March 2018.The study participants were women who had delivered babies 03 years prior to the survey along with the head of the families. The calculated size was 400 hundred households across the four zones of Agra city. The data collected was entered and analyzed using SPSS. The health of the slum communities is considerably worse off than the non- poor in urban area and is comparable to the rural figure. There are 48.47% women in India out which 22.2 % are in reproductive age. Due to the risk linked with child birth and child care women and children form the “vulnerable” group in need of health services. It is found that utilization of Maternal and Child Health services among the migratory and slum dwellers living in the Municipality area of Agra is not satisfactory. 44.1% reported that there were children born in the family during the last three years preceding the survey 35.5% of mothers delivered at home. The reasons given for not availing the ANC were, 34.4 % thought it was not necessary, 61.2% had financial problems. It is urgent requirement to establish sub centers of primary health in slum areas, where timing of these sub centers should be in such manner so that slum dwellers can avail health services.