Women & Child Health Schemes That Are Changing Chhattisgarh

The greatest asset of any human society is its people. Without a healthy and capable populace, no country or state can achieve development, no matter how rich it is in terms of natural resources. The survival and continued prosperity of humanity hinges on the health of children, and the women who give birth to them. This is why the WHO has identified women’s and children’s health as one of the key targets for sustainable development.

The Chhattisgarh Government under Dr. Raman Singh has been keenly aware of this aspect from the outset. Health initiatives and programmes targeted towards women and children have occupied a central role in the agenda of the state ever since 2003. And the numbers do not lie: in the first fifteen years of its rule, the Dr. Raman Singh government has achieved several giant strides in the field of women’s health.

 

Progress So Far (2003 - 2018)

  • Increase in the number of Primary Health Care centres from 513 to 793, and Secondary Healthcare Facilities from 3818 to 5186.

  • Anganwadis have been empowered to act as the primary source of nutrition, health awareness, and other basic services for women, children, and adolescent girls.

  • The percentage of women giving birth in hospitals has touched 74% as of 2018. In stark contrast, nearly 72% of childbirths in 2003 happened outside hospitals and healthcare centres.

  • As a result, Infant Mortality Rate has been reduced nearly by half, from 70/1000 in 2003 to 41 per 1000 live births in 2018.

  • The maternal mortality rate has also been halved in 15 years, from 407 per lakh births to 221 per lakh in 2018.

  • The percentage of children under five with stunted growth has been reduced from 53% to 35%. Similarly, the percentage of underweight children has also reduced from 53% in 2006 to 39% as of 2015. In this respect, Chhattisgarh is far ahead of its parent state Madhya Pradesh according to the Clinical, Anthropometric and Biometric (CAB) Survey 2014 by the Census of India.

  • In 2017, Chhattisgarh won an award for the immense progress made in reduction of stunting at the first National Conference held by the Ministry of Women and Child Development


 

Focus on Comprehensive, Multi-Pronged Initiatives

Despite these impressive figures, the government is not willing to rest on its laurels. Basic indices like MMR and IMR are only one aspect of a very complex problem. After all, health concerns and challenges for women and children do not end at childbirth. The state government has embarked on a multi-pronged strategy under the following:

  • General Schemes With Significant Impact on Women & Children

  • Women - General Health, Pregnancy, Nutrition

  • Children - Nutrition, General Health

  • Adolescent Girls - Sexual Health & Awareness, Menstrual hygiene, Nutrition

 

General Schemes

Mukhyamantri Swasthya Beema Yojana (MSBY)

Chhattisgarh became the first state in India to provide medical insurance to the tune of ₹50,000 for all citizens with this particular scheme. This Chief Minister Health Insurance scheme offers health coverage for the entire family. The National Health Insurance Scheme called RSBY was originally created by the Central Government. The MSBY is a state government initiative that improves on the RSBY provisions. It increased the insurance coverage of RSBY from ₹30,000 to ₹50,000. It has had a significant positive impact on women and children from poor families in the state.
 

Swasthya Seva Raths (Mobile Medical Units)

There are many remote locations in the state inhabited by highly vulnerable tribes. These citizens have no access to primary health care facilities of any kind. Swasthya Seva Raths are Mobile Medical Units, staffed by an MBBS doctor, a nurse, lab technician, and pharmacist. They provide primary health care services in remote locations of Chhattisgarh. This is especially beneficial to pregnant women in areas far removed from hospitals and clinics.   

 

Schemes For Women

Ayushmati Yojana

This is an initiative working under the auspices of the Rajiv Jeevan Rekha Scheme. It aims to provide health care access to women from low-income families and rural areas in the state. Under the scheme, women admitted to a PHC, district hospital or medical college for treatment are provided with cash up to ₹1000 for basic needs.  Free medicines, food, and support facilities for bystanders are also provided.

Mahatari Jatan Yojana

The Chief Minister Dr. Raman Singh launched this scheme in October 2017. The focus of this state government initiative is to reduce malnutrition among pregnant women. Nutritious meals, subsidized food, and health supplements are provided to women from poor families. The service is available six days a week, through select Anganwadis across the state

102 Mahatari Express

This is a dedicated ambulance service for pregnancy-related emergencies. Launched in 2013, the Mahatari express is exclusively for pregnant women. Using over 350 vehicles, this program has helped 29 lakh women over the last five years.  

 

Schemes For Children

Chief Minister Bal Sandarbh Yojana

Eradicating malnutrition among children is a long-term goal of the Chhattisgarh government. Timely medical check-ups and medical counselling/intervention at the block level is crucial to achieving this.  The government provides these services for free, at the block level in vulnerable areas of the state. Nearly 4 lakh children have benefited from this scheme since its inception in 2009.

Chirayu Yojana

This state-wide initiative provides free health screening check-ups for children in Chhattisgarh. All kids under 18 years of age are covered by the Chirayu programme. To efficiently cover the target areas, the system uses anganwadis as well as mobile medical units where necessary. Over 57 lakh children have benefited from this program.

Mukhyamantri Bal Hriday Yojana

Cardiac disorders among children, though not too common, are hard to spot and can be life-threatening. The Bal Hriday Yojana is a unique initiative that targets seven common heart-related diseases in children. Along with free medical check-ups, the government also provides ₹1.5 lakhs to children who require treatment. This program has saved the lives of more than 6000 kids in the state.

Special Schemes For Adolescent Girls

Kishori Shakti Yojana

Health and wellbeing of teenage girls is a key focus area for the Government of India. Kishori Shakti Yojana was launched by the Chhattisgarh government for the benefit of adolescent girls. The program is run under the auspices of the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India. This program provides nutrition and health supplements to girls aged 11-18. Health check-ups, special counselling, and guidance on sexual health are also delivered through Anganwadis.  

 

Shechita Yojana

This is a pioneering intervention by the Chhattisgarh government in the field of female menstrual health in India. Due to traditionally conservative attitudes and economic reasons, women in rural areas do not have access to female hygiene products like sanitary napkins. The Chhattisgarh government has taken this challenge head-on with the Shuchita Yojana. Napkin vending machines have been installed in 2000 schools across the state. The government has improved the lives of 3 lakh girl students by helping them achieve menstrual hygiene.
 

A Bright Future Ahead

In the relatively short 18 years of its existence, Chhattisgarh has made significant progress in the fields of healthcare. In many indices, the state is almost on par with the national average. Despite these achievements, the government under the stewardship of Dr. Raman Singh has lost neither its focus nor its appetite for improvement. It only bodes well for future of Chhattisgarh, especially its women and children.