01 July 2010
By Surbhi Khyati
Lucknow, India
TO bring down the maternal and infant mortality rate of the state, the state government is planning to launch a "Jachha Bachha Suraksha Abhiyaan" (Mother and Child Protection Campaign) on August 15.
The campaign will involve tracking of pregnant women and newborns at the village level – till the child turns one. It will be funded by the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and ensure big perks for health workers.
"The maternal and infant mortality rate in the state is still high and the campaign aims to ensure 100 per cent institutional delivery and immunization," said Dr CB Prasad, Director General, Family Welfare.
The guidelines were handed to the Chief Medical Officers (CMOs), District Project Officers (DPOs) and Additional Directors of the state at a high–level preparatory meeting held on Wednesday. A Central team of NRHM, led by Dr P Padmanabhan of National Health System Resource Center (Technical support group of NRHM) was also present in the meeting.
According to the guidelines, an Ayush doctor will be nominated at each Primary Health Center for operation and supervision of the programme.
From August, on each Wednesday and Saturday, the nominated medical officer and all ANMs will visit their Primary Health Centers and deliver healthcare services to the pregnant women.
The work area of each ASHA worker should be mapped and ASHA, Anganvadi and Gram Pradhan or Panchayat members will bring pregnant women and infants to health centers, where they will be given individual cards, the guidelines said.
State–level monitoring teams will invigilate at least 5 per cent of the sessions and later, an independent agency will be given the charge of assessment of the programme.
For the first time, the ANMs and ASHA will be given incentives for work.
The ASHA will be given Rs 30 for each health card and Rs 20 for each immunization shot –up to a maximum of Rs 100. The Anganvadi worker will also be given Rs 30 for each health card. The ANM will be getting Rs 500 for a group of 50 health cards.
The village pradhan and block pramukh will be provided performance–based souvenirs.
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