298 places of HRP identified: Health Minister
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 07 2018:
Health and Family Welfare Minister L Jayantakumar has announced that 298 places vulnerable to high risk pregnancy (HRP) have been identified for necessary assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Surakhsit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA).
Speaking to media persons at his Old Secretariat office today, Jayantakumar said that PMSMA was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 31, 2016 at the National level before it was launched in the State on August 8 same year.
Highlighting the importance of informing the benefits of PMSMA entitled to pregnant women, Jayantakumar said that all the efforts of the State Government and the Health Department would be rendered futile if the beneficiaries are not aware about the scheme.
There are 14 doctors in the State who have volunteered for PMSMA.
13 of them are Gynaecology specialists while the other one is a MBBS doctor, "Jayantakumar said.
These volunteers would visit the places identified as vulnerable to HRP on the 9th of every month and advise pregnant women on how to keep themselves healthy, dos and don'ts before child delivery, antenatal care, diets etc.
The State Government and the Health Department are committed to ensure that all child deliveries are successful and both mothers and newborn babies are healthy, he asserted.
It appears that the programme lacks fund for the diet component and the matter has been apprised to the Central Government.
In the meantime, Health Department appealed to the MLAs to extend monetary aid towards effective implementation of PMSMA in the State and most of them are quite receptive, Jayantakumar said.
The Health Minister also donated Rs 50,000 for supplementing diets of pregnant women.
Earlier, PHED Minister L Dikho and MLA Dr Ranjan had donated Rs 20,000 and Rs 10,000 for the same cause.
Today, many officials of Health Department .contributed to the dietary fund.