CHITRADURGA: D. Tangaraj, Principal Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, and in charge of the district, has said that a special scheme, Janani Suraksha Yojana, will be implemented in the State shortly.

Chairing a review meeting of the Health Department here on Friday, he asked the district administration and officers of the Health Department to ensure that women deliver babies only in the healthy environment of a hospital to ensure the safety of the mother and the child.

At present 49 per cent of childbirths, particularly in rural areas, take place in unhygienic conditions under the supervision of a local midwife who is either semi-skilled or untrained. This has resulted in a very high infant mortality rate. The scheme aims at ensuring 100 per cent childbirths in hospital. Under the scheme, women who give birth to a child in government hospitals will be paid Rs. 700, he said.

Mr. Tangaraj explained that such schemes are being designed to encourage women to participate in programmes related to women and reproductive health. The Government has already taken up a drive to vaccinate children.

Referring to the shortage of doctors and experts in taluk hospitals, he said that the deputy commissioners have been given powers to appoint doctors and experts to such hospitals. But the response is very poor. So the Government has asked the deputy commissioners to appoint doctors and experts who have retired from government service on contract. He said that even private practitioners can be appointed to government hospitals on a part-time basis.

Health committees

Mr. Tangaraj said that health committees will be formed at the gram panchayat level to create awareness about health services. The Rural Health Mission will come into existence in every district shortly and funds will be released for improving the condition of hospitals through that organisation.

The Deputy Commissioner, S.R. Umashankar; the Headquarters' Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner, S.H. Vijaya Kumar; the District Health Officer, T. Rangaswamy; the District Surgeon, Narasappa; and Deputy Secretary of the zilla panchayat, G. Nandeesh, participated.

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