(a) whether the Government has formulated a scheme to provide delivery
facility to the rural women of far-flung areas at the sub-health centres
in various States in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the number of sub-health centres where this facility is proposed to be
provided in various States particularly in Madhya Pradesh under the said
scheme, State-wise; and
(d) the time by which the work on the said scheme is likely to be started?
THE MINISTER OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI GHULAM NABI AZAD)
(a) to (d): The Government is promoting institutional deliveries in Government
health facilities with a special focus on expanding access for women in farflung,
difficult and remote rural areas. Though there is no separate scheme to provide
facilities for delivery to the rural women of far-flung areas only at the sub-health
centres, States have identified specific Sub-Centres in remote areas for conducting
normal deliveries.
Under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and the Reproductive and
Child Health Programme within its umbrella, the Government of India is strengthening
Sub Centres, PHCs, CHCs and Sub-District /District Hospitals with the necessary
infrastructure, drugs, supplies, equipments and trained service providers with a
special focus on remote and far-flung areas. These include Sub Centres, PHCs, CHCs
and Sub-District /District Hospitals in the State of Madhya Pradesh also.
To enable public health institutions to conduct safe deliveries, the
following steps have been taken:
1. Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), a conditional cash transfer scheme to
promote Institutional Delivery with a special focus on Below Poverty Line
(BPL) and SC/ST pregnant women. The scheme has brought about significant
increase in institutional delivery.
2. Infrastructure up gradation of public health institutions including
labour rooms.
3. Providing drugs, supplies and equipment for obstetric care.
4. Augmenting the availability of skilled manpower by training ANMs in
Skilled Birth Attendance and MBBS doctors in emergency Obstetrical care and
life saving anaesthetic skills.
5. Appointment of an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) in the
village to facilitate accessing of services at these health centres by
pregnant women.
6. Referral systems including emergency referral transport, for which
the states have been given flexibility to use different models to transport
pregnant women for delivery from home to the facilities and also to higher
facility in case of any complications.
7. Strengthening of Government health facilities by providing them
with flexible funds.