The state health department is planning Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN) scheme centres for pregnancy and postpartum care at 471 facilities. Besides immediate medical facilities, these centres will also focus on holistic conception, pregnancy and postpartum welfare until six months after delivery.
The scheme was launched by the Centre in October 2019. It offers free health services for pregnant women and newborn babies, including nutrient supplements and vaccination.
An official said timely treatment can reduce maternal and infant mortality. While 255 centres will focus on basic facilities, 157 will be dedicated to BEmONC (Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care) and 59 to CEmONC (Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care). The 255 basic centres include primary healthcare centres, and BEmONC centres will include the sub-district and rural hospitals.
A senior official added that they are waiting for guidelines from the Centre because the selected healthcare centres need to take certificates as per the National Quality Assurance Standards. Moreover, the centres also need to upgrade their services and machinery according to the Indian Public Health Standards, he said.
Dr Aniruddha Deshpande, assistant director of maternal health in the Public Health Department, said they are only focusing on improving maternal and infant health. “The scheme will largely help bring down related mortality rates in the country. Under the scheme, the beneficiaries visiting public health facilities are entitled to several free services,” she said.
India’s maternal mortality rate declined from 254 per 1,00,000 live births in 2004-06 to 130 in 2014-16. Between 2001 and 2016, the infant mortality rate came down from 66 per 1,000 live births to 34.
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