kCR Kits leads to more institutional deliveries

 Telangana | Written by : IANS Updated: Fri, Jul 14, 2017, 04:44 PM

There has been a dramatic increase in the percentage of institutional deliveries throughout Telangana (by about 27.31%) in the last nine months after the launch of ‘KCR Kits’ for pregnant women, according to Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare V. Karuna here on Thursday.She was addressing a workshop on ‘Effective Implementation of National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) in Telangana State’ organised in association with the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI). The programme was attended by Mayors, commissioners, health and municipal officers from across the State.


Under the programme for safe motherhood and healthy child, pregnant women registering themselves at the public health facilities are paid Rs. 3000, given free health checkup, medicines and a kit consisting of essential baby items like oil along with a pad with a mosquito hood.


In four instalments spread over nine months, the mother is paid Rs. 13,000 for girl child (it is Rs. 1000 less for a boy ) ; the money is directly transferred to the beneficiary’s account along with provision for free vaccines to the child. About 16,894 were issued the kits and Rs. 3.43 crore was paid to 1134 beneficiaries so far, she said. Hailing the ‘KCR Kits’ initiative and congratulating the health department, Minister for IT, Mines and Municipal Administration K.T. Rama Rao, called for ‘convergence’ of the municipal and health departments for looking after the healthcare of the urban poor as the Government was once again making a serious effort to promote public health institutions through improved service delivery.


Centre’s joint secretary (health) K. Rajeshwar Rao said convergence of municipal and health departments would mark a paradigm shift in providing better and effective medicare in urban areas. Health secretary Rajeshwar Tiwari, GHMC Commissioner B. Janardhan Reddy also spoke. Ms. Karuna made a presentation how aesthetics of the primary health centres and other health care units were being tonned up with better ambience, lighting, colour schemes, signages, furniture, delivery rooms, etc. Mr. Rao also unveiled a NUHM mobile app.