LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh
government has decided to provide insurance Rs one lakh cover to foetus
or unborn babies of pregnant women.
Called "Jananishree", the scheme will start under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). The aim of the scheme is to promote institutional deliveries as only those women will get the benefit who will deliver babies in government hospital or a recognised private hospital.
According to medical and health department officials, that the state government has made all the necessary arrangements required to implement the scheme. In fact, Rs 50 crore have already been earmarked for the scheme. The draft of the scheme has been sent to the Central government for approval. It will be implemented as soon as Centre grants approval. Officials said that scheme will help in checking neonatal and maternal deaths because it will motivate people to go for institutional deliveries. The neonatal and maternal mortality rate is less in deliveries done in hospitals in comparison to household.
A section of experts, however, did not agree with the officials. They said that incentive should be to give money to the women who go for institutional delivery as it is in case of Janani Surakha Yojna (JSY), already being run under NRHM. The government can increase the amount of Rs 14,00 given under JSY to the women who deliver babies in government hospitals. Experts also warned about misuse of the scheme. "In the state where female foeticide is assumed a menacing proportion, the insurance cover scheme can lead to a situation where people will kill daughters after birth for the insurance money," said Dr Shashi Kumar, an activist.
However, government officers said that in case of institutional, health staff will keep a track record of the child after birth, hence it would be impossible for people to kill the baby. "It would be figured out easily whether the neonatal has been killed or has died due to some disease or any other factor," they said and added ""We will also monitor how parents are taking care of the baby after birth. The benefit will not be given in case of death of the baby due to negligence or unnatural death."
But Activists argued that given the rampant corruption in the health department, as we have seen in the Rs 5000 crore NRHM scam, the chances are high that health staff will not report the true cause of death of the baby. The killer parent in connivance with the health staff may siphon off the money, they said.
According to estimates, around 500 female foeticide cases take place in UP every day, which means 1.5 lakh unborn girls are killed every year in the state. UP's child sex ratio (0-6 years age group) as per Census 2011 is 899, a drop of 17 points in comparison to 2001.
click here for more info.
Called "Jananishree", the scheme will start under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). The aim of the scheme is to promote institutional deliveries as only those women will get the benefit who will deliver babies in government hospital or a recognised private hospital.
According to medical and health department officials, that the state government has made all the necessary arrangements required to implement the scheme. In fact, Rs 50 crore have already been earmarked for the scheme. The draft of the scheme has been sent to the Central government for approval. It will be implemented as soon as Centre grants approval. Officials said that scheme will help in checking neonatal and maternal deaths because it will motivate people to go for institutional deliveries. The neonatal and maternal mortality rate is less in deliveries done in hospitals in comparison to household.
A section of experts, however, did not agree with the officials. They said that incentive should be to give money to the women who go for institutional delivery as it is in case of Janani Surakha Yojna (JSY), already being run under NRHM. The government can increase the amount of Rs 14,00 given under JSY to the women who deliver babies in government hospitals. Experts also warned about misuse of the scheme. "In the state where female foeticide is assumed a menacing proportion, the insurance cover scheme can lead to a situation where people will kill daughters after birth for the insurance money," said Dr Shashi Kumar, an activist.
However, government officers said that in case of institutional, health staff will keep a track record of the child after birth, hence it would be impossible for people to kill the baby. "It would be figured out easily whether the neonatal has been killed or has died due to some disease or any other factor," they said and added ""We will also monitor how parents are taking care of the baby after birth. The benefit will not be given in case of death of the baby due to negligence or unnatural death."
But Activists argued that given the rampant corruption in the health department, as we have seen in the Rs 5000 crore NRHM scam, the chances are high that health staff will not report the true cause of death of the baby. The killer parent in connivance with the health staff may siphon off the money, they said.
According to estimates, around 500 female foeticide cases take place in UP every day, which means 1.5 lakh unborn girls are killed every year in the state. UP's child sex ratio (0-6 years age group) as per Census 2011 is 899, a drop of 17 points in comparison to 2001.
click here for more info.
What do you think friends... Share with us your views.. FOETUS INSURANCE COVER SCHEME : BOON or BANE for UP????
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