Poor pregnant women to get free services in Pvt hospitals

Guntur: The State government included deliveries in the NTR Vaidya Seva Trust Service to render free medical services to the pregnant women in the private hospitals across the State. Women having white ration card are eligible to get free medical services and caesarean surgeries in the private hospitals. The women may undergo medical tests free of cost from the date of confirmation of pregnancy till the deliveryin the private hospitals which are listed with NTR Vaidya Sevaservices. The government will reimburse the bills to private hospitals from the NTR VaidaSeva Trust services.

Following orders of the Government, Special Chief Secretary Medical and Health Poonam Malakondaiah took the decision and directed the officials to implement the scheme. The government will issue a G.O soon in this regard. The government has already informed about the scheme to the DMHOs. At present poor and middleclass families are spending thousands of rupees for medical tests to the pregnant women and alsofor deliveries. For deliveries, the private hospitals are charging upto Rs. 50,000. From the date of pregnancy to delivery, a family is spending another 20,000 to Rs. 25,000for medical tests. As soon as pregnancy is confirmed, the women have to register their names and details in one of the NTR VaidyaSeva Service linked hospitals to get free medical services till delivery.

The government has already introduced 108 service to pick up pregnant women from house to the government hospital. Similarly, Talli-Bidda Express was introduced to shift mother and child to their house. Besides, nutritious food is supplied to new mothers through Anganwadis. DMHO Dr J Yasmin said, “Government decided to incorporate free deliveries in the NTR VaidyaSeva Trust for the benefit pregnant women of poor families. We are waiting for G.O.”