Janani-Shishu Suraksha Karyakrama

Janani-Shishu  Suraksha Karyakram

 

JSSK has been launched, to ensure that each and ever pregnant woman and sick neonates upto one month gets  timely access to health care services free of cost and without  any out of pocket expenses.

 

In June 2011, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,  Government of India launched the Janani-Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK), a national initiative  which entitles all pregnant women delivering in public health institutions to absolutely free and no  expense delivery, including  caesarean section.  

The scheme emphasises utmost importance on “Free  Entitlements”. The idea is to eliminate out-of-pocket expenses for both pregnant women and sick neonates. Under this scheme, pregnant women are  entitled for free drugs and consumables, free  diagnostics, free blood wherever required, and free diet to 3 days for normal delivery and 7 days for  caesarian section. This initiative also provides for free transport from home to institution, between  facilities in case of a referral and drop back home. Similar entitlements have been put in place for all sick newborns accessing public health institutions for treatment till 30 days after birth.  

The JSSK initiative is estimated to benefit more than one crore  pregnant women and newborns who access public health institutions every year in both urban and  rural areas.  

Why JSSK ?  

India has made considerable progress in reduction of Maternal Mortality Ratio  MMR) and Infant  mortality Rate (IMR), but the pace at which these health indicators are declining  needs acceleration. 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. Moreover, the first 48 hours after delivery are critical as complications like haemorrhage, infection, high blood pressure, etc are more likely to develop during this period and unsafe deliveries may result in maternal and infant morbidity or mortality.  

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