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(JSSK) Janani-Shishu Suraksha Karyakram


Background:

About 56,000 women in India die every year due to pregnancy related complications. Similarly, every year more than 13 lacs infants die within 1year of the birth and out of these approximately 9 lacs i.e. 2/3rd of the infant deaths take place within the first four weeks of life. Out of these, approximately 7 lacs i.e. 75% of the deaths take place within a week of the birth and a majority of these occur in the first two days after birth.

In order to reduce the maternal and infant mortality, Reproductive and Child Health Programme under the National Rural health Mission (NHM) is being implemented to promote institutional deliveries so that skilled attendance at birth is available and women and new born can be saved from pregnancy related deaths.

Several initiatives have been launched by the Ministry of health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) including Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) a key intervention that has resulted in phenomenal growth in institutional deliveries. More than one crore women are benefitting from the scheme annually and the outlay for JSY has exceeded 1600 crores per year.


Situation:

High out of pocket expenses being incurred by pregnant women and their families in the case of institutional deliveries in form of drugs, User charges, diagnostic tests, diet, for C –sections.

New Initiative:

In view of the difficulty being faced by the pregnant women and parents of sick new- born along-with high out of pocket expenses incurred by them on delivery and treatment of sick- new-born, Ministry of health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has taken a major initiative to evolve a consensus on the part of all States to provide completely free and cashless services to pregnant women including normal deliveries and caesarean operations and sick new born(up to 30 days after birth) in Government health institutions in both rural & urban areas.
Government of India has launched Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK) on 1st June, 2011.

The following are the Free Entitlements for pregnant women:

  • Free and cashless delivery
  • Free C-Section
  • Free drugs and consumables
  • Free diagnostics
  • Free diet during stay in the health institutions
  • Free provision of blood
  • Exemption from user charges
  • Free transport from home to health institutions
  • Free transport between facilities in case of referral
  • Free drop back from Institutions to home after 48hrs stay


The following are the Free Entitlements for Sick newborns till 30 days after birth.This has now been expanded to cover sick infants:  

  • Free treatment
  • Free drugs and consumables
  • Free diagnostics
  • Free provision of blood
  • Exemption from user charges
  • Free Transport from Home to Health Institutions
  • Free Transport between facilities in case of referral
  • Free drop Back from Institutions to home


Key features of the Scheme:

  • The initiative entitles all pregnant women delivering in public health institutions to absolutely free and no expense delivery, including caesarean section.
  • The entitlements include free drugs and consumables, free diet up to 3 days during normal delivery and up to 7 days for C-section, free diagnostics, and free blood wherever required. This initiative also provides for free transport from home to institution, between facilities in case of a referral and drop back home. Similar entitlements have been put in place for all sick newborns accessing public health institutions for treatment till 30 days after birth.This has now been expanded to cover sick infants:  
  • The scheme aims to eliminate out of pocket expenses incurred by the pregnant women and sick new borns while accessing services at Government health facilities.
  • The scheme is estimated to benefit more than 12 million pregnant women who access Government health facilities for their delivery. Moreover it will motivate those who still choose to deliver at their homes to opt for institutional deliveries.
  • All the States and UTs have initiated implementation of the scheme.