The rate of normal birth delivery in the country is 69 percent, while the rate of cesarean delivery is 39 percent, Health Minister Zahid Maleque told parliament on Monday. He said this replying to a scripted question from Jatiya Party's Rustum Ali Faraji MP. The minister said an action plan titled “Promotion of Normal Vaginal Delivery, Prevention of Unnecessary Cesarean Section and Creating Awareness about Necessity and Justification of Cesarean Section" is under implementation” in order to increase the rate of normal delivery and reduce the caesarean section births.  Read: Speaker releases fry in Sangsad Bhaban Lake The action plan includes strengthening of regulatory framework, strengthening health management, capacity building of service providers through various trainings, and ensuring quality in and of delivery services.The  posting of doctors at district and upazila levels, ensuring round-the-clock emergency and maternity services through providing necessary equipment, he said, in fact improving.  The minister said the action plan also includes strengthening of services and deputation of midwives at the district upazila level, campaign activities to ensure at least four antenatal services, through which pregnant mothers are informed about the positive aspects of normal delivery and unnecessary caesarean sections. To ensure antenatal care for expectant mothers, house-to-house mother gatherings are being held with dignitaries of society routinely . In addition, various monitoring activities are underway to increase social security programs and reduce caesarean section rates, the minister added. 

A surgeon has been relieved of his duty at Sher-e-bangla Medical College and Hospital (SBMCH) for leaving a piece of gauze inside the abdomen of a woman during her C-section, said the hospital authorities. The dismissed surgeon is Honorary (Unpaid) Medical Officer Dr Md Tarek. He was taking six months training in the gynecology department of the hospital. Also read:Probe body formed after rescue of newborn from Barishal hospital’s toilet pipe At the same time, show-cause notices were issued against two staff nurses of the hospital who were present during the surgery, SBMCH Director Dr Saiful Islam said. Besides, the hospital director informed the director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) to take further action in this regard. A three-member probe committee was formed on May 22 headed by Dr Nazimul Haque, head of surgery department.  Khurshid Jahan, head of the gynecology department, and Dr Moniruzzaman Shaheen, assistant director of the hospital are two other members. Surgeon Taher was relieved of duty on Saturday after the probe report was submitted. According to hospital sources, victim Sharmin Akter Sheela, wife of Ziaul Hasan of Nalchhiti upazila in Jhalakathi district, gave birth to a baby girl on April 16 at the hospital when the surgeon left the gauze inside her abdomen during C-section. Also read:100 oxygen cylinders missing from SBMCH: 5-member probe body formed A few days later, when Sharmin’s physical condition began to deteriorate due to an infection she was readmitted to the hospital. Head of the surgery department of the hospital Nazimul Haque said a gauze inside Sharmin's abdomen was detected after an examination which was surgically removed on May 22.