Civil hospital fails to promote Janani Suraksha Yojana
The Shaheed Babu Labh Singh Civil Hospital here has completely failed to create awareness about the centrally sponsored Janani Suraksha Yojana, a social welfare scheme meant for pregnant women and new mothers.
The Shaheed Babu Labh Singh Civil Hospital here has completely failed to create awareness about the centrally sponsored Janani Suraksha Yojana, a social welfare scheme meant for pregnant women and new mothers.
Since there is no dedicated team or counter at the hospital for implementing the scheme, the target population can be excused for not knowing about the existence of the scheme. There are no mandatory signs, posters or pamphlets about the scheme at the hospital, which is one of the largest healthcare facilities in the state.
HT has the guidelines of the programme that was launched way back in 2011 to ensure safe and quality treatment for pregnant women during childbirth.
As per the scheme, pregnant women are entitled to free transport, food, medicines, check-ups and other facilities and it is mandatory for all government hospitals and local health centres to create awareness about the scheme by installing flex boards, posters and pamphlets, both inside and outside their premises.
The material for spreading awareness can be bilingual (English and Hindi) in addition to the local language. It should be prominently displayed in the offices of the district magistrate, divisional commissioner, health institutes, and other public places.
The guidelines say a help desk and grievance committee should be constituted in the gynaecology wards of health centres and hospitals for helping pregnant mothers in addition to the installation of a complaint box.
Further, contact details of members of the grievance committee should be displayed prominently at the help desk and complaints should be addressed within a week.
Moreover, teams from civil hospitals also need to hold workshops and meetings in villages by involving women’s groups at the block-level.
In contrast, the Mother and Child Care Centre here does not even have a single sign outside their premises to inform pregnant visitors about the scheme and its benefits. Also, there is no help desk in the gynaecology ward and contact details of the grievance committee are not displayed on any notice board.
A doctor said nothing has been done with regard to the scheme so far and not even a single board has been placed due to the apathy of the authorities.
Medical superintendent Veena Pal said there was no help desk as such but they have a reception counter outside the OPD ward even though there was no committee dealing with the Janani Suraksha Yojana.