Four year old Spoorthi still loves the blanket that had kept her warm when she was a newborn. In fact she refuses to let go of it, and insists upon being tucked into bed under the same blanket every night.
The blanket was not bought by her parents, nor did she receive it as a gift. The blanket had come as part of the paraphernalia given to her mother by the department of Health and Family Welfare, under the Madilu scheme.
On Saturday, Spoorthi’s parents Siddaraji and Ravi H R of Heggadahalli, Nanjangud taluk received a second such kit, following the birth of their second child.
Siddaraji, who gave birth to a healthy girl baby at Cheluvamba Hospital in Mysore, said that the Madilu kit had more than come in handy to her family. “The quality of the products are so good that my first born Spoorthi still uses the blanket that came along with the kit at the time of her birth. She is so attached to it, that she refuses to part with it,” she added.
Her husband Ravi said that it was a good initiative by the government to help the poor. “If we had to buy the same products outside, it would cost us not less than Rs 1,500. But the government is distributing it free of cost, and this has helped us a great deal,” he added.
The staff of the hospital said that they distribute around 50 kits per day. Though there were more such beneficiaries, some of them failed to get the kit, owing to discrepancies in the Antenatal Case Card (ANC card, popularly known as ‘thayi card’) furnished by the mothers.
The department has roped in ASHA workers to ensure that such problems are rectified and that the scheme reaches all beneficiaries.
The kits can be obtained from any government hospital in the district, provided the certificates and documents are in order. The ANC is certified by local health officer following the registration process by ASHA or health workers, who have been trained to ensure registrations of all pregnant woman of their region.
As many women are still unaware of the scheme, though it has been over years since its launch, they fail to furnish the required documentation.
Dr B Krishnamurthy, Medical Superintendent of Cheluvamba Hospital said that at least 10 per cent of the beneficiaries arrive with documents lacking the necessary information. “We instruct them to get supporting documents and originals of the certificates. The Madilu kits are given only if the documents are in place,” he said.
The hospital has distributed as many as 4,341 kits during the year 2012-13.
The scheme was started by the BJP government to provide post natal care for the mother and the child belonging to SC/ST communities, and those who come under the BPL category.
The objective of the scheme is to encourage poor pregnant women to deliver in health centres and hospitals in order to reduce maternal and infant mortality in the State.
According to G F Uppinal, Chief Paediatrician and Administrative Medical Officer, Seth Mohandas Tulsidas Maternity Hospital, Chamundipuram, nearly 80 per cent of the problems encountered during the post natal period, can be prevented with the kit.
“However, there is lack of awareness among the rural mass regarding institutional deliveries. This kit along with other schemes of the government, are incentives to promote hospital deliveries and care of newborns,” he said.
The hospital has distributed 570 kits last year.
District Health Officer S M Malegowda told Deccan Herald that out of 40,977 childbirths in the district during the year 2012-13, of whom 20,893 nursing mothers had benefitted from the scheme launched under the National Rural Health Mission Scheme.
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