Lok Sabha Question No. 2151 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-11
Subject: Ante-Natal Care of Women
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: SHASHI THAROOR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEPELOVEMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2151 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.12.2015

## ANTE-NATAL CARE OF WOMEN

## 2151.    DR. SHASHI THAROOR

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to State:

- (a) whether the Rapid Survey on Children (2013-14) conducted by the Government has revealed that over 80 per cent of women in India do not receive full ante-natal care during pregnancy;
- (b) If so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and
- (c) the measures being taken to increase the quality and the accessibility of ante-natal health care, as  well  as  to  increase  awareness,  particularly  among rural  women,  about  the  importance  of ante-natal care for the health of the mother and child?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI MANEKA SANJAY GANDHI)

- (a)       & (b) Rapid Survey on Children (RSOC) was commissioned by Ministry of Women and Child Development in 2013-14, with technical support from UNICEF, India. As per the Rapid Survey of Children report 2013-14, full Ante-Natal Care (ANC)  (i.e. receipt of 3+ ANC, at-least 1 dose of  TT  and  consumption  of  100  IFA  Tablets/syrup)  has  been  received  by  19.7%  of  pregnant women.  The  reasons  for  low  full  ANC  may  be  due  to  multiple  factors  i.e.,  inaccessibility, illiteracy,  ignorance,  non-functional  facilities  in  their  vicinity,  besides  myths  and  beliefs  about IFA consumption and fear of out of pocket expenditure.
- (c)       Government of India is taking following steps to improve the quality and accessibility of antenatal  care  and  increase  awareness  among  rural  women  about  the  importance  of  ante-natal care :
- i. Operationalization of Sub-Centres, Primary Health Centres, Community Health Centres and District Hospitals for providing 24x7 basic and comprehensive obstetric care services.
- ii. Improving competencies of Staff Nurse/ Auxillary Nurse Midwives through 3 days Dakshata programme and 6 days Skills Lab training.
- iii. Capacity building of health care providers in basic and comprehensive obstetric care.
- iv. Mother and Child Protection Card to monitor service delivery for mothers and children.
- v. Safe  Motherhood  Booklet  is  distributed  to  the  pregnant  women  at  the  time  of  ANC registration which serves as Information Education and Communication (IEC) tool for
- vi. educating women on importance of ANC, nutrition, family planning  dietary diversification and consumption of IFA
- vii. Tracking  delivery  of  services  i.e.  Ante  -  Natal  Care  (ANC),  Post-Natal  Care  (  PNC  )  and immunization   through Mother and Child Tracking System.
- viii. Ante-Natal, Intra-Natal and Post-Natal care including Iron and Folic Acid supplementation to pregnant & lactating women for prevention and treatment of anaemia.
- ix. Strengthening of ANC protocols  by introducing universal screening for Syphilis and  HIV, screening  for  hypothyroidism  during  pregnancy,  screening  and  management  of  gestation diabetes, Calcium supplementation, deworming, and increase in duration of IFA supplementation to 6 months during ANC and 6 months during PNC.
- x. Tracking,  Line  listing      and  follow-up    of  High    Risk  Cases  including    severely  anaemic women during ante-natal care .
- xi. Engagement of more than 9.15 lakhs Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) to generate demand and facilitate accessing of health care services by the community.
- xii. Village  Health  and  Nutrition  Days  in  rural  areas  as  an  outreach  activity,  for  provision  of maternal and child health services.
- xiii. Ensuring  availability  of  essential drugs and    commodities    as  reflected under RMNCH+A matrix.
- xiv. Health and Nutrition Education to promote dietary diversification, inclusion of iron and folate rich food as well as food items that promote iron absorption.
- xv. Janani  Shishu  Suraksha  Karyakaram  (JSSK)  as  launched  on  1 st   June,  2011,  entitles  all pregnant women delivering in public health institutions to  absolutely free and no  expense delivery including Caesarean section.  The initiative stipulates free drugs, diagnostics, blood and  diet,  besides  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 infants accessing public health institutions for treatment. The benefits under the scheme have also been expanded to Ante-Natal and Post-Natal complications during pregnancy and also sick infants.
- xvi. Close Monitoring and Supportive Supervision visits are also regularly undertaken.

***********