Chapter: Gist of Press Information Bureau Articles

Topic: Healthy Mother And Healthy Child Ensuring Zero Expense Deliveries Through JSSK

Q. Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK)?

• A unique initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK), launched on June 1, 2011, has placed for the first time utmost emphasis on “ENTITLEMENTS”.

• The idea is to eliminate out-of-pocket expenses for both pregnant women and sick neonates. The initiative entitles all pregnant women delivering in public health institutions to absolutely free and No-Expense delivery, including caesarean operation.

• All expenses related to delivery in a public institution are borne entirely by the government and no user charges are levied. A pregnant woman is entitled to free transport from home to the government health facility, between facilities, in case she is referred on account of complications, and also drop-back home after 48 hours of delivery.

Q. What was the reason behind shifting from JSY to JSSK?

• The number of institutional deliveries has increased significantly, after the launch of Janani Suraksha Yojna (JSY) in the year 2005 but many of those who opted for institutional deliveries were not willing to stay for 48 hrs, hampering the provision of essential services both to the mother and neonate.

• The first 48 hours after delivery are critical as some complications might develop during this period. Access to mother and child health care services were also hindered by High out of pocket expenses on User charges for OPD, drugs and consumables, Diagnostic tests etc. Also in some cases such as severe Anemia or emergencies required Blood Transfusion which increased immediate expenses. And if there was a caesarean case, the expenses would become still higher.

• So, JSSK has been launched, to ensure that each and every pregnant woman and sick neonates upto 1 month gets timely access to health care services free of cost.

Q. What is special in terms of ‘Entitlement’ under JSSK?

Under the JSSK, the state governments issue an entitlement order detailing the free entitlements.

• The Entitlements include free drugs and consumables, Free Diagnostic Services, Free Blood Transfusion Services wherever required and Free diet for the duration of a woman’s stay in the facility. These services are provided free of cost to eliminate out of pocket expenses and ensure Zero expense deliveries.

• Free Institutional Delivery services (including Caesarean operation) are provided in government health facilities. Also, medicines including supplements such as Iron Folic Acid are to be given free of cost to pregnant women.

• Further, pregnant women are entitled to both essential and desirable investigations like Blood, Urine tests and Ultra-Sonography etc. Furthermore, they are to be provided with free Diet during their stay in the health institutions (up to 3 days for normal delivery & 7days for caesarean section).

• Not only this, there is a provision of free blood transfusion if the need arises.

• Pregnant women are entitled to free transport from home to health centre, referral to higher facility in case of need and drop back from the facility to home.

• Besides, under JSSK there is exemption from all kinds of User Charges including OPD fees and admission charges.

• Free treatment is also provided to the sick Newborn upto 30 days after birth and all drugs and consumables required are provided free of cost. As in the case of the mother, the new born too is provided with free diagnostic services and there is a provision of free blood transfusion if the need arises. The facility of free transport from home to health institutions and back is also available.

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