BANGALORE: The State Government will soon launch a new health scheme, `Madilu', to encourage pregnant women from families living below the poverty line to get themselves admitted to public healthcare institutions for childbirth.

Minister for Health and Family Welfare R. Ashok told presspersons here on Thursday that the scheme would be launched in June. The mother will be given a kit containing all material required for her and the child for three months after delivery. It will contain a mosquito net, soap, lotion, and other items required for hygiene. An initial sum of Rs. 5 crore has been earmarked to launch the scheme, he said.

A three-member committee headed by H. Sudarshan, chairman of Karuna Trust, has been constituted to study the operational aspects of `Madilu'. The panel will submit a report in 15 days.

Mortality rate high

The infant mortality rate is still high in the State, and an estimated 50 children out of 1,000 born die before three months of delivery. It is of utmost importance to get women who still deliver at home to health centres, Mr. Ashok said.

In order to optimise the use of outpatient departments (OPD) in all government hospitals, he said a circular would be issued soon to keep OPDs open from 5.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.

Since the OPDs in most hospitals operate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., wage earners and office-goers were not able to make use of the facilities, Mr. Ashok said.

Compulsory

All doctors in government hospitals have to attend the evening OPD five days a week. For each day of service the doctor will be paid Rs. 300. Nurses and paramedical workers assisting the doctor in the OPD will be paid Rs. 100 for each day of service. The administrative medical officer concerned will have to assign doctors and nurses to the evening OPDs, Mr. Ashok said.

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