The Ministry of MoHFW has introduced a scheme targeted towards pregnant women who utilize government health facilities for childbirth. This effort ensures completely free-of-cost deliveries, including caesarean sections. Comprehensive care is extended to both the mother and her newborn within a 48-hour period. The underlying motive behind this scheme is to alleviate the financial burden arising from expenses like diagnostics, investigations, blood, medications, nourishment, and user charges associated with institutional childbirth.
Named the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK), this initiative was launched in June 2011 with the main objective of eradicating any out-of-pocket expenditures for pregnant women seeking institutional delivery and medical treatment for ailing infants. In 2014, the program’s coverage was expanded to include all antenatal and postnatal complications of pregnancy. Similar provisions were established to cater to the needs of sick newborns and infants (up to one year of age) receiving medical care at public health facilities.
Benefits Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram
Anticipating mothers experience several advantages, that includes are mentioned below:
- Coverage of childbirth expenses through cashless arrangements, effectively alleviating any financial burdens.
- Comprehensive provision of C-Section procedures, without any associated charges.
- Provision of medications and essential supplies at absolutely no cost.
- Extension of diagnostic services, all of which come at no charge.
- Offer of complimentary dietary provisions during stays at healthcare institutions.
- Assured availability of blood, without any associated fees.
- Exemption from user fees, facilitating access to necessary services.
- Free transportation from home to healthcare facilities, ensuring seamless access.
- Arrangement of inter-facility referral transportation without any incurred expenses.
- Offer of cost-free return transportation home following a 48-hour institutional stay.
Newborns encountering health concerns within their initial 30 days (now further extended to include ailing infants) are entitled to:
- Medical treatment devoid of any financial obligations.
- Provision of medications and other required items without any accompanying costs.
- Unhindered access to diagnostic services, without the burden of expenses.
- Complimentary provision of blood supply to address medical needs.
- Exemption from user charges, promoting equal access to healthcare.
- Free transportation from home to healthcare facilities, ensuring prompt care.
- Inter-facility transportation for referrals, facilitated at no additional cost.
- Transportation back home from institutions, without imposing any charges.
healthcare. - Free transportation from home to healthcare facilities, ensuring prompt care.
- Inter-facility transportation for referrals, facilitated at no additional cost.
- Transportation back home from institutions, without imposing any charges.
Eligibility criteria for Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram
The candidate should be an expectant mother. The candidate’s admission must be at a government healthcare facility.
Key features of Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram
- Pregnant women who deliver at public healthcare facilities receive complimentary delivery services, including those necessitating caesarean sections.
- The perks comprise of no-cost medications, consumables, a diet provided for up to 3 days (in the case of normal delivery) and up to 7 days (for C-sections), diagnostics without any charges, and blood provision when required.
- Free transportation is extended from their place of residence to the facility, along with inter-facility transfers and the return journey.
- These benefits are also extended to ailing newborns who receive care at public healthcare institutions for a period of up to 30 days after birth, now encompassing sick infants as well.
- The core objective of the program is to ease the financial burdens experienced by pregnant women and infants seeking services at Government health facilities.
- More than 12 million expectant mothers who utilize Government health facilities are projected to gain advantages, potentially promoting a shift from home deliveries to institutional ones.
- The program is currently being active or implemented on a nationwide basis, encompassing all states and union territories.