Haryana to give Rs 1500 to SC pregnant women for deliveries

Chandigarh, Apr 12 (UNI) The Haryana Government has announced that it would provide an assistance of Rs 1500 to all Scheduled Caste (SC) pregnant women for institutional deliveries, over-and-above the cash assistance given under the Janani Suraksha Yojna.

This announcement was made by Health Minister Kartari Devi while addressing the Chief Medical Officers from the districts on National Safe Motherhood Day here yesterday. April 11 is observed to acknowledge the high number of women dying due to pregnancy related causes.

She said various schemes and programmes had been implemented by the Health Department including the Janani Suraksha Yojna, a maternal benefits scheme under which cash assistance of Rs 700 was given to the Below Poverty Line(BPL) and SC pregnant women for the institutional deliveries in rural areas and Rs 600 for BPL and SC pregnant women delivering in urban areas.

Mrs Navraj Sandhu, Commissioner and Secretary Health in her address said this day reflects on important issues of safe motherhood and initiates action to prevent the maternal deaths. She added that Haryana was making all round efforts and carrying out various awareness programmes to ensure safe motherhood for every pregnant woman.

She said the Janani Suvidha Yojna was a safe motherhood intervention to provide quality antenatal, natal and postnatal services easily accessible to women living in urban slums. Delivery huts provide safe institutional delivery services in clean, hygienic and women friendly environment and contribute to reduction in maternal and infant mortality rate.

These huts ensure 100 per cent ante-natal and birth registrations, ensure early detection of high risk and complications and timely referral and immunisation, she added.

Mrs Sandhu said the department has also provided United Funds of Rs 10,000 at every health sub-centre to meet medical emergencies and transport in emergency situations at village level.

She said focus of the Health Department was that every women must have the right to highest attainable standard of health, with access to appropriate health services, especially emergency obstetric services that were adequately available, accessible and acceptable and of good quality. The aim of observing the 'Safe Motherhood Day' was to improve equitable access to quality health care by creating an advocacy drive that unites the initiatives for maternal and child health, she said.

The meeting was attended by Director, Deputy Directors, Nodal Officers and all Chief Medical Officers of all the districts of the state.

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