Due to a lack of medical infrastructure and proper family planning, the maternal healthcare crisis has haunted many families all over the nation. Several attempts have been made to better the condition of women about to birth a child, but not to complete fruition or to the benefit of women.

Keeping in mind the health of women in India, and collecting data from every nook and cranny, the government of India has now launched the Janani Suraksha Yojana – a women’s healthcare plan for pregnant women.

This scheme falls under the overall umbrella of the National Rural Health Mission – NRHM and is being looked at as an attempt to modify healthcare plans for pregnant women across the nation.

Target group of the Janani Suraksha Yojana

The primary target group for the implementation of the scheme benefits is women belonging to Below Poverty Line households and

  1. Of the age of 19 years and above
  2. Up to two live births

Registration for the scheme

Each village having a population of above 1000 is expected to have one ASHA or equivalent worker registered with the sub-centre and the PHC of that concerned village, who would ideally be working under the able supervision of the AHM and working in tandem with the AWW.

Under the Janani Suraksha Yojana, the worker’s role would be

  1. To organize and implement delivery care services for the registered expectant mother.
  2. To assist in immunization of the newborn.
  3. To act as a propagator or motivator of family planning services.

Features as per the Janani Suraksha Yojana

Here are some of the many features or benefits of the scheme which will be made available to expectant mothers.

  1. Cash assistance: cash assistance will be offered to the pregnant women and would be linked to availing of antenatal checkups by the pregnant women and getting the delivery conducted in government registered health centres/hospitals.
  2. Incentives offered to ASHA (or equivalent) workers: since the implementation of the scheme has begun, a large number of birth attendants – dai – have been trained. These trained officials and workers will be offered special financial incentives for their services rendered to the pregnant women from the economically backward classes.
  3. Assistance for Caesarean sections: assistance of ₹1,500 per case will be provided to hire services of private experts to carry out the complicated Caesarean surgery either in a government medical facility or in Private hospitals, nursing homes, etc.

In summary

Over the last couple of decades, governments have strived to improve the conditions of expectant mothers, especially in rural areas. To enable pregnant women with financial assistance and to help them with their health requirements and nutritional needs, several schemes have been launched. With the implementation of schemes like the JSY, governments ensure that maternal health is of utmost importance as the undeniable truth stands true even today: A healthy mother births a healthy citizen.

With these attempts in place, women from the rural sects of the society now have the financial and knowledgeable backing of pregnancy experts from ASHA centres and otherwise.

The health of the mother and the child across this nation now seems to be in able hands.