The High Court in a landmark verdict on Thursday directed the government to strictly follow it in order to prevent medically unnecessary Cesarean Sections (CS) at all private and public hospitals and clinics.
It also asked the authorities concerned to widely circulate the relevant guideline, formulated by health ministry in November 2019, in six months.
The court said the guideline 'Bangladesh National Guidelines and Technical Standards and Operating Procedure for Promotion of Normal Vaginal Delivery (NVD), Prevention of Unnecessary Cesarean Section, Creating Awareness about Necessity and Justification of Cesarean Section' has become a part of its judgement.
The HC bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque delivered the verdict after hearing a writ petition filed by rights organisation Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) in 2019, seeking necessary directives.
The guideline recommends launching a national campaign to raise awareness of the harmful effects of unnecessary C-section and importance of necessary Caesarian.
"Engage multiple and appropriate channels of communication (print, electronic, social media) and all sectors of civil society in the campaign," reads the guideline.
"Develop and disseminate communication materials such as videos, leaflets, brochures etc targeted towards different sets of priority audience," it adds.
The guideline suggests enhance NVD skills and competencies of delivery care practitioners and to review existing law, rules and procedures to identify weaknesses and propose modification to ensure rights of patients, care seekers and caregivers.
Posting certified midwives and maintaining a functional standard labour room should be made mandatory for private hospitals/clinics intending to provide delivery care, according to the guideline.
It also suggested reviewing and expanding mandate and capacity of Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council, and Bangladesh Nursing Council to ensure wider and easier access to patients and families to be available to lodge grievances, proper and faster identification and resolution of grievances.
It advised formation of a medical defense unit, which will urgently look into the matters and will report and provide protection to caregivers to prevent untoward harassment and develop a legal provision to ban brokering practice in the private sector.
Petitioner's lawyer barrister Rashna Imam said all the authorities concerned of health ministry, directorate of health services, dental council, hospitals and doctors are bound to follow the guideline.
If it is properly followed the unnecessary C-section will be reduced, she added.
Deputy Attorney General Amit Das Gupta said the HC judgement was another step to empower women.
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