GREATER NOIDA: Institutional deliveries at several government health centres in Gautam Budh Nagar remain below expected levels, while staff shortages and underutilisation of telemedicine services are affecting the district’s healthcare delivery system, officials said.District authorities have also flagged gaps in monitoring of maternal and child healthcare programmes and warned of action against health workers found absent from duty without authorisation. (HT Photos)District authorities have also flagged gaps in monitoring of maternal and child healthcare programmes and warned of action against health workers found absent from duty without authorisation.Maternal healthcare has emerged as a key area of concern in Gautam Budh Nagar, with institutional deliveries at some community health centres (CHCs) falling short of targets, according to health department officials.District magistrate Medha Roopam said improving access to facility-based childbirth services remains a priority, adding that uninterrupted delivery services must be ensured at all government health facilities.“Providing quality, accessible and timely healthcare services to the public is among the government’s top priorities. All concerned officials and healthcare workers must work in coordination to ensure that the benefits of schemes reach every eligible and needy person and that no one is left out,” Roopam said.Officials said manpower shortages at certain delivery centres have also been identified. Directions have been issued to ensure adequate deployment of staff nurses and to report vacancies requiring intervention at the state level.Chief medical officer Dr Narendra Kumar said the department is working to strengthen maternal healthcare services and improve utilisation of government facilities.“We are focusing on increasing institutional deliveries, ensuring timely benefits under welfare schemes and strengthening monitoring at all health facilities. Necessary steps are being taken wherever staffing or service gaps have been identified,” Kumar said.Authorities have also directed strict action against staff nurses found absent from duty without permission, stressing that delivery services should not suffer due to manpower constraints.The district administration has further sought to improve coverage under the Janani Suraksha Yojana, which provides financial assistance to pregnant women for institutional deliveries. Officials have been instructed to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries receive payments on time.Apart from maternal healthcare, officials expressed concern over low utilisation of telemedicine services through the e-Sanjeevani platform. Community health officers recording fewer than 50 consultations have been asked to explain the low numbers and improve outreach.Monitoring gaps were also identified in Home-Based Newborn Care (HBNC) and Home-Based Young Child Care (HBYC) programmes.“Several designated officials had not conducted field monitoring visits as expected. We have been directed for stronger supervision and regular field-level oversight to ensure beneficiaries receive services on time,” a health department official said.Child immunisation, availability of essential medicines and cleanliness at health facilities are also among the priority areas. Officials said efforts are underway to improve the district’s performance on key public health indicators and strengthen data reporting systems.