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Rajasthan plans insurance cover for pregnant women

Special Correspondent

A much-needed support for women living in far-off regions

JAIPUR: Pregnant women in Rajasthan will soon get an insurance cover for safe delivery of their children and proper rearing of infants during the first few months after birth. The State Government's health sub-centres will take full responsibility for providing medical assistance to women in the pregnancy period and carry out deliveries under the care of gynaecological and paediatric expert.

The State Government is examining medico-legal aspects of the novel initiative and would shortly finalise the draft scheme after high-level deliberations, the Medical and Health Minister, Digambar Singh, told The Hindu on Wednesday. While the State Government will bear a major portion of the insurance premium, the beneficiaries will be required to pay a small amount to get the facilities.

Dr. Singh said some insurance companies had already been approached in this regard and modalities were being worked out to ensure successful operation of the scheme. "The initiative forms part of the Government's efforts to encourage institutional deliveries and reduce both the maternal and infant mortality rates. It will provide much-needed support to women living in far-off regions," he said.

200 health centres

The Medical and Health Department has selected 200 health sub-centres across the State for establishment of emergency labour rooms, including 50 of them for the availability of surgical facilities. Besides, nearly 10,000 `Dais' (midwives) were trained for safe childbirth during 2004-05 and an equal number of them will be given the training this year.

Dr. Singh said the target had been fixed for reducing the maternal mortality rate from the present 677 per one lakh live births to 285 per one lakh live births by 2011. While the insurance scheme - the first of its kind to be launched in the country - is expected to make a significant contribution to the achievement of the target, the emphasis on institutional deliveries would yield positive results in the longer run.

Experts'consultation

Dr. Singh - who is himself a gynaecologist - pointed out that some of the new projects, such as telemedicine and telecardiology, would make available experts' consultation to the patients residing in remote areas. Similarly, the Sanjivani Yojana has started providing benefit of experts' advice at the Community Health Centres on the fixed dates. As many as 70,000 patients were treated in 38 Sanjivani camps held in 2004-05, while 92 camps would be organised this year.

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