A brief note on Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram, the new initiative of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Background

Institutional deliveries in India increased substantially after launched of JananiSuraksha Yojana (JSY). However 25% women still hesitate to access health facilities for delivery due to out of pocket expenditure during stay at health facilities on drugs, diet, and diagnosis and arrangement blood etc. 

Building on the progress of this safe motherhood scheme, another major initiative Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK) was launched in June 2011 to eliminate out-of-pocket expenses for both pregnant women and sick infants. 

Essential care is provided to the mother and her neonate within 48 hours. This postnatal period is critical for identification and management of complication of post-delivery. In case of institutional delivery. accessing availing this care is a little easier. Reasons like high out of pocket expenditure ondiagnostics/investigations, blood, drugs, food and user charges institutional delivery JSSK was launched in June 2011 to eliminate out-of-pocket expenses for institutional delivery of pregnant women and treatment of sick infants.

In 2014, the programme was extended to all antenatal & post-natal complications of pregnancy and similar entitlements have been put in place for all sick newborns and infants (up to one year of age) accessing public health institutions for treatment.