National

Institutional deliveries: States move ahead

NEW DELHI: Even as the States showed a remarkable improvement in their health indicators, particularly in promoting institutional deliveries, after the launch of the ambitious National Rural Health Mission, the common review mission (CRM) has stressed the need for timely release of funds for various components of the scheme, especially the Janani Suraksha Yojana.

According to the CRM, set up as part of the Mission Steering Groups’ mandate to review and evaluate the scheme, the Janani Suraksha Yojana is challenged by the slow rate of growth in infrastructure and personnel to meet the demand generated by the shift to institutional deliveries.

Going by the trend, Gujarat is focussing on 100 per cent institutional delivery and two of its districts, Mehsana and Gandhinagar, will soon be declared “safe delivery districts.” Between 2001-02 and 2007-08, the percentage of institutional deliveries in the State has gone up to 76 from a little above 50. Comparison of institutional deliveries in Bihar between April and July in 2006 and 2007 shows that the numbers have increased from 3,745 to 17,293 in April; 3,716 to 22,848 in May; 3,805 to 30,510 in June and 7,233 to 46,928 in July.

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