Validation of Targets Related to Maternal and Child Health Services in the Rural Area of the Bhavnagar District, Gujarat: A Cross Sectional Study

Introduction: Despite ‘Target free approach’ being implemented since more than 20 years, the targets related to MCH services are still decided and distributed by top to bottom approach in Gujarat. Irrational distribution of targets may lead to under or over achievement of the targets by SCs and PHCs. Objective: To validate the targets related to MCH services in the rural areas of the Bhavnagar district, Gujarat for the year 2019-2020. Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out to count the actual number of MCH beneficiaries by visiting each house of the selected villages (One village each from a good performing and a poor performing SCs of two randomly selected PHCs from each block of Bhavnagar district) and interviewing a family member of the household. This numbers from the villages were compared with the targets assigned to the respective villages. Results: The actual number of antenatal women was found to be 26.6% lower and 38.8% higher than the assigned targets for early pregnancy registration in the villages of poor and good performing SCs respectively. Similarly the actual number of deliveries was found to be 47.2% lower than the assigned targets for institutional deliveries in poor performing SCs. It was also observed that the actual number of children eligible for full immunization in the respective area was found to be much lower in both the groups of SCs than the assigned targets. Conclusion: Assigned MCH targets were found improper in the villages of Bhavnagar district