New mothers, infants to get wider access to free healthcare

Panaji: Health services will focus on the assured delivery of maternal and new-born health care services at centres under SUMAN, its new initiative that was notified, on Thursday.

The new programme offers wider access to free, quality care. Besides creating awareness and making booklets on safe motherhood available at health centres, counselling will also be offered.

The notification stated that eligible couples will receive family planning counselling with an emphasis on healthy timing and spacing of pregnancy for mother and child health.

One of the important aspects of the new programme is that healthcare facilities will have to emphasize on the privacy and confidentiality of those who wish to avail of maternity care at a government facility. Sometimes, pregnant women of even limited means choose to go to a private healthcare facility for lack of privacy at a government hospital.

Also, free referral transport will be offered from home to a facility and back for women after their delivery.

Plus, in cases of any complication after an abortion, follow-ups will be done and an appropriate referral made, if needed.

Pre-pregnancy care service package, detection of pregnancy through pregnancy testing kits, basic management and referral of high-risk pregnancies are some of the services that have been included.

Would-be mothers will be screened for HIV and syphilis.

Those in need will be able to access confidential counselling to learn about safe abortion services and be referred to a safe abortion facility, if need be.