Association of Traditional Birth Attendant

The Dai Sangathan (Traditional Birth Attendant Association), Gujarat is a registered society which was launched on National Safe Motherhood Day(11th April, 2005) in a meeting with the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Gujarat,  NGOs and 1575 Dais from 15 districts of Gujarat. This association was founded by 7 dais and 7  NGOs of Gujarat state-India (Bhansali Trust, CHETNA, Deepak Charitable Trust, SARTHI, SEWA, SEWA-Rural and SWATI). CHETNA is one of the founder NGO and  a Secretariat to this association since July 2011.

The goal of this association is to work towards improved maternal and newborn health in the state of Gujarat. The main objectives are to organise Dais and provide them a forum to communicate their collective voices, advocate for their recognition as a link between the community and the public health system at the state and national levels and work towards development of traditional midwifery standards and enhance capacities and skills of Dais.

Currently, 7264 Dais, 24 organisations from 15 districts are Members of Dai Sangathan, Gujarat


Some of the major contributions of Dai Sangathan since 2005 are as follows:

  • In 2005, an assembly was organised in Gandhinagar, in which 1500 Dai’s and State Health and Family Welfare Department of Gujarat participated.
  • Traditional Birth Attendant capacity enhancement curriculum was developed in 2007 which has been approved by the State Health and Family Welfare Department of Gujarat.
  • In 2008, an assembly was organised in which 1700 Dai’s from 17 districts were present and 24 NGO’s participated in this forum.
  • In 2009, a National consultation to discuss the role of TBA’s in National Rural Health Mission was organised in Delhi. Representatives of Government of India and Government of Gujarat and representatives from other States like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Orissa, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal participated.
  • A total of 5000 Dai’s have been given their identity card by the Dai Sangathan.
  • An exposure visit was made by Dai group from Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh.