BERHAMPUR: In a bid to check maternal mortality and ensure safe motherhood, Ganjam administration has implemented the Surakshit Janani Sahayata Yojana in the district. Under the scheme, pregnant women across Ganjam district will get access to free ultrasound sonography (USG) test.
As part of this move, the district administration signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with 18 diagnostic centres in the district. Any pregnant woman referred from government hospitals can avail the facilities thrice at any of these private clinics and diagnostic centres, said Collector Dibyajyoti Parida.
The novelty of the scheme is ASHA workers will be incentivised for motivating and bringing the pregnant women to the diagnostic centres.
While the first USG test can be done within the first 12 weeks (1st antenatal care), second USG test can be done during 16 to 34 weeks period (mid of the 2nd and 3rd antenatal care) and third is to be done during the 36 week period before delivery (4th antenatal care).
Berhampur City hospital and Bhanjanagar sub-divisional hospital will provide such facilities for free too. Also, ASHA workers will be paid a special allowance of `50 per case by the district administration to motivate pregnant women to get their tests done on time.
“The pregnant women can also get their ECG test done and avail facilities free of cost for which the district administration will buy 110 ECG machines at `66 lakh,” informed the Collector.As many as 10 senior doctors and healthcare personnel have been given responsibility to monitor and supervise proper implementation of the scheme and submit a report to the administration every month.