Free medical facilities for women, kids

Health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in a consultative committee meet on Wednesday announced the creation of a database of more than 40 lakh mothers and 15 lakh children to provide them with free medical facilities.

Health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in a consultative committee meet on Wednesday announced the creation of a database of more than 40 lakh mothers and 15 lakh children to provide them with free medical facilities.

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This initiative, launched under the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram, will cover the expense of deliveries, medicines, pick and drop to and from the hospital, immunisation, and treatment of sick newborns up to a month after birth, in all government hospitals across the country. The World Health Organisation desires to replicate this initiative.

The panel also discussed the proposal of making it mandatory for all medical graduates to be posted in rural areas for a time period, to meet the shortfall of doctors in remote areas.

Talking about future of health care mission, Azad said, “Increased public sector spending will help mitigate the problems faced by the poor in this country.”