Measures to Check Maternal Deaths

New Delhi, 18 Mar, 2015: Under the National Health Mission (NHM), financial support is provided to the States/UTs for strengthening their healthcare delivery system including support for provision of free drugs to those who access public health facilities based on requirements reflected in their Programme Implementation Plans. Under the NHM-Free drug service Initiative and substantial funding is also provided to States/UTs with the conditionality.

An incentive of up to 5% additional funding over and above the normal allocation of the state under NRHM-RCH Flexipool is provided to State/UTs to introduce free medicine scheme.

In addition, Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK) entitles all pregnant women delivering in public health institutions to absolutely free and no expense delivery including Caesarean section, which includes free drugs, etc. and similar entitlements for all sick infants accessing public health institutions for their treatment.

The key steps taken to accelerate the pace of reduction for Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) under the National Health Mission (NHM) are:

• Promotion of institutional deliveries through Janani Suraksha Yojana.

• Capacity building of health care providers in basic and comprehensive obstetric care.

• Operationalization of sub-centres, Primary Health Centres, Community Health Centres and District Hospitals for providing 24×7 basic and comprehensive obstetric care services.

• Name Based Web enabled Tracking of Pregnant Women to ensure antenatal, intranatal and postnatal care.

• Mother and Child Protection Card in collaboration with the Ministry of Women and Child Development to monitor service delivery for mothers and children.

• Antenatal, Intranatal and Postnatal care including Iron and Folic Acid supplementation to pregnant & lactating women for prevention and treatment of anaemia.

• Engagement of more than 8.9 lakhs Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) to generate demand and facilitate accessing of health care services by the community.

• Village Health and Nutrition Days in rural areas as an outreach activity, for provision of maternal and child health services.

• Health and nutrition education to promote dietary diversification, inclusion of iron and folate rich food as well as food items that promote iron absorption.

• Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK) has been launched on 1st June, 2011, which entitles all pregnant women delivering in public health institutions to absolutely free and no expense delivery including Caesarean section. The initiative stipulates free drugs, diagnostics, blood and diet, besides free transport from home to institution, between facilities in case of a referral and drop back home. Similar entitlements have been put in place for all sick infants accessing public health institutions for treatment.

• To sharpen the focus on the low performing districts, 184 High Priority Districts (HPDs) have been prioritized for Reproductive Maternal Newborn Child Health+ Adolescent (RMNCH+A) interventions for achieving improved maternal and child health outcomes.CCI Newswire