13 April 2004, Hindustan Times
Expressing concern over the higher number of anaemic women in India, Chittorgarh collector R S Gathala emphasised on the importance of promoting blood donation to save women in labour.
He was speaking at a conference on safe motherhood organized on Monday in Chittorgarh by Consumer unity and Trust Society — Centre for Human Development (CUTS-CHD).
The National Family Health Survey (2000) had found nearly 48.5 percent of the women in Rajasthan to be anaemic.
It was also revealed at the conference that around Rs. 3.45 lakh allotted to 69 Gram Panchayats in the area and they had no idea how to use the funds meant for referral care of pregnant women. Many spent them on construction.
District United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) coordinator Sudhir Tailang said that the UNFPA was interested in working in the local area on reducing the maternal mortality rate.