NEW SCHEME TO LOWER MATERNAL MORTALITY RATE TO BE LAUNCHED ON
11TH APRIL
QUALITY
SERVICE VITAL FOR SERVING NATIONAL HEALTH OBJECTIVES - SMT. SWARAJ
In a major initiative
to tackle the problem of maternal mortality rate, Union Minister
for Health & Family Welfare, Smt. Sushma Swaraj has said that
a new programme "Jannani Suraksha Yojna" would be launched
on the 11th April on the occasion of Safe Motherhood
Day. The objective of this new initiative is to facilitate the
availability of delivery systems to pregnant women from the 3rd
month of pregnancy. Under the proposed scheme women would be encouraged
to come forward to register themselves in the primary health centres.
This programme is aimed at the rural women folk and it is expected
that with its implementation the maternal mortality levels can
be brought down significantly. Currently, a large percentage of
women undergoing pregnancy suffer due to lack of basic facilities
which proves to be fatal for many of them. The Minister stated
this while delivering the key note address at the Convocation
ceremony of Lady Hardinge Medical College here today.
Elaborating further
the Minister said that for effective implementation of the National
Health Policy, it was extremely necessary to provide quality medical
services. In this context, the professional services rendered
by women professionals in the medical field became extremely relevant.
The lady doctors, the Minister said, have to balance between the
professionals and personal needs. With large number of women patients
in the country, it was a challenge for women professionals to
tackle problems such as high maternal mortality, gender related
medical problems and plug the gaps in the health delivery systems.
During the course
of her address, the Minister specifically referred to the mindset
of doctors with regard to problems related to sex determination
tests, insensitivity to the girl child in population related matters
and the urge to earn money with scant regard to medical ethics.
The younger generation of doctors specially women professionals
should fight this age-old mindset with firm determination. Only
then can we provide a vision for the future for the women of this
country, said the Minister. During the function, the Minister
gave away medals and degrees to students of the Graduation and
Post Graduation stream. Others who spoke on the occasion included
Director General of Health Services, Principal of Lady Hardinge
Medical College and the Vice-Principal.
