3 weeks ago

Sudha Murty urges national policy for postpartum depression screening

Sudha Murty urges national policy for postpartum depression screening
One in five new mothers face postpartum depression, says Sudha Murty, flags need for national policy · theprint.in

After a baby is born, some mothers feel very sad, worried, and extremely tired.

This is called postpartum depression, and it is a real medical condition.

In India, about one out of every five new mothers may have this problem.

A respected leader named Sudha Murty spoke about it in the Rajya Sabha, a part of India's government that makes laws.

She said many mothers suffer in silence because people rarely talk about these feelings.

She asked the government to make a national plan to find and help mothers with postpartum depression.

She showed everyone that the state of Karnataka already helps such mothers.

There, specially trained health workers called ASHA visit new mothers at home and ask them simple questions to check how they feel.

If a mother needs help, she is sent to a doctor or offered counseling over the phone.

Sudha Murty wants this same care and kindness for every new mother across India.

Key facts

Speaker
Sudha Murty, Rajya Sabha MP and chairperson of the Murty Trust
Issue
Postpartum depression (PPD) among new mothers
Prevalence
One in five new mothers in India affected
Venue
Rajya Sabha, New Delhi
Demand
National policy and screening framework for maternal mental healthcare
Karnataka Model
Mental health checks under the Thayi Card Scheme using a NIMHANS-designed questionnaire with ASHA workers
Proposed Expansion
National rollout via the Mother & Child Protection Card

Quotes

Sudha Murty

Member of Parliament and chairperson of the Murty Trust

“"I would like to bring to the attention of the government an essential yet frequently overlooked dimension of healthcare, that is maternal mental healthcare."”
theprint.in
“"I humbly request the government to create a national policy on maternal mental health which should expand Karnataka’s questionnaire."”
theprint.in

Sources

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