FOGSIs Manyata is complementing Government efforts towards achieving Maternal Health goals

The Federation of Obstetricians and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI), India’s professional organization representing practitioners of obstetrics and gynaecology, through its flagship initiative Manyata, is improving the quality of maternity services in private sector facilities in India. Manyata, supported by MSD for Mothers, is a quality-improvement program that promotes the adoption and practice of clinical standards based on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) standards of quality care in maternal health for antenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum care. The initiative is aimed towards reducing the maternal mortality rates in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and strengthening health systems in the state. A recent study by Ariadne Labs (Affiliated to Harvard University) titled ‘Does Quality Certification Work? An Assessment of Manyata, a Childbirth Quality Program in India’s Private Sector’ undertaken to understand the role of Manyata in improving the knowledge and skills of health care providers, adherence to key clinical practices, and delivery outcomes for women and their newborns highlights the positive impact of the initiative. The evidence collected from Manyata certified facilities shows a 70% improvement in the healthcare staff being able to manage life-threatening complications, such as obstructed labour, pre-eclampsia and/or eclampsia, and postpartum hemorrhage. The data indicates how the Manyata training and mentorship increases private facilities’ adherence to quality standards and nurses’ knowledge of maternal care and practical skills.

Emphasizing the need for quality at the foundational level to better maternal health indexes, Dr Hrishikesh D. Pai, President, FOGSI, and Chief Administrator, FOGSI-Manyata initiative, said, “At FOGSI, we believe we have brought ‘quality care’ to the forefront of the discourse on improving maternity care in India and thereby, addressed maternal mortality. We are dedicated towards improving the quality of maternity care as well as access to this care with Manyata so that every woman in the country receives quality services wherever and whenever she seeks care. Through our efforts, we have demonstrated that, as a professional association, we can organize private providers and improve quality and built a momentum for quality care in private sector across India.” Dr Madhuri Patel, Secretary General, FOGSI, added, “Improving the quality of maternal healthcare in the country is certainly the need of the hour as India has one of the highest numbers of maternal deaths in the world. Manyata is an extremely successful program and acts as a stamp of quality ensuring consistent, safe, and respectful care for women. We strongly believe that it is imperative to lift the quality standards.” Dr. Hema Divakar, National Convener, FOGSI-Manyata initiative, said, “A decade of efforts has shown us that it is worth investing in strengthening maternal health care systems so as to bridge the gap between knowing and doing. Upskilling of existing human resources has made a huge impact on the quality of care in the Manyata accredited centers. The evidence collected only strengthens our resolve to continue providing equitable and high-quality maternal care in India.”

The insights from the data generated from the Manyata initiative proves it to be a model of success which is committed to building a momentum for quality care by elevating the standards of care for mothers and making India a safer place for childbirth. In recent years, institutional deliveries have significantly increased from 78.9% in 2015-16 to 88.6% in 2019-21; and maternal mortality ratio (MMR) has decreased from 130 in 2014-16 to 97 in 2018-20. This has been made possible due to concerted efforts by the Indian government to improve maternal health outcomes by instituting quality improvement programmes in public health facilities like Janani Suraksha Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Yojana, LaQshya, SUMAN-Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan Yojana etc. To complement ongoing government efforts to advance quality of care (QoC) in maternal health cross-sectoral efforts, especially the involvement of the private sector, is essential to address challenges which will bolster last mile delivery of maternal health interventions, and advance quality of care. To bridge this gap, FOGSI has been driving Manyata since 2013, and currently the program footprint spans 22 states across a network of 2000 facilities in the country. It is a first-of-its-kind initiative which is building the capacities of healthcare workforce and providing certification, thereby setting a benchmark for maternal quality care. Manyata has laid the foundation for self-driven awareness and demand in Quality improvement amongst facilities and is reaching more mothers, hence creating a significant impact. The initiative is powering innovation through social health entrepreneurs and institutional business models as part of its sustainability and scale-up strategy. It has the potential to be replicated in nations with similar socio-economic demographic and mixed health systems.

Hence, FOGSI’s Manyata is creating a paradigm shift in the maternal health ecosystem by complementing the government’s Universal Health Coverage ambitions and its goal to meet the SDG 3.1 goal of reducing maternal mortality to 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030. About Manyata: Manyata is FOGSI’s flagship initiative to improve the quality of private maternity care for women in low- and middle-income categories in India. This initiative is supported by MSD for Mothers. It is a quality improvement (training) and certification program that acts as a stamp of quality ensuring consistent, safe, and respectful care for mothers during and after childbirth. The program promotes the adoption and practice of 16 clinical standards – in line with World Health Organization (WHO) standards for antenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum care. Currently, Manyata is present in 22 states/UTs with planned expansion to other states. In Maharashtra, the program runs as a joint initiative between the Public Health Department, Government of Maharashtra and FOGSI, and is called LaQshya-Manyata with additional 10 Facility standards in line with national standards of care. The initiative is led by Dr Hema Divakar, National Convener, Manyata; Dr Hrishikesh Pai, Chief Administrator, FOGSI-Manyata Initiative; and Dr Ameya Purandare, Deputy Administrator, FOGSI-NPMU and managed by Dr Samita Bhardwaj, National Program Manager, FOGSI-NPMU.

The National Program Management Unit (NPMU) constituted under FOGSI is responsible for quality assurance, training of trainers and accreditation of lead assessors, who evaluate private facilities on standards and recommend them for certification. In Maharashtra, this assessment is jointly undertaken by FOGSI and Public Health Department, Government of Maharashtra. About The Federation of Obstetricians and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) The Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) is the professional organization representing practitioners of obstetrics and gynaecology in India. With 262 member societies and over 37,000 individual members spread over the length and breadth of the country, FOGSI is probably one of the largest membership-based organizations of specialized professionals. FOGSI exists to encourage and disseminate knowledge, education, and research in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology, to pilot and promote preventive and therapeutic services related to the practice of obstetrics and gynaecology for the betterment of the health of women and children in particular and the wellbeing of the community in general, to advocate the cause of reproductive health and rights and to support and protect the interest of practitioners of obstetrics and gynaecology in India.