Comparative Evaluation of Cash Benefit Scheme of Janani Suraksha Yojana for Beneficiary Mothers from Different Health Care Settings of Rewa District, Madhya Pradesh, India.

Abstract

Introduction: For better outcomes in mother and child health, Government of India launched the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in 2005 with a major objective of providing accessible, affordable and quality health care to the rural population; especially the vulnerable. Reduction in MMR to 100/100,000 is one of its goals and the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is the key strategy of NRHM to achieve this reduction. The JSY, as a safe motherhood intervention and modified alternative of the National Maternity Benefit Scheme (NMBS), has been implemented in all states and Union territories with special focus on low performing states. The main objective and vision of JSY is to reduce maternal, neo-natal mortality and promote institutional delivery among the poor pregnant women of rural and urban areas. This scheme is 100% centrally sponsored and has an integrated delivery and post delivery care with the help of a key person i.e. ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist), followed by cash monetary help to the women. Objectives: 1)To evaluate cash benefit service provided under JSY at different health care settings. 2) To know the perception and elicit suggestions of beneficiaries on quality of cash benefit scheme of JSY. Methodology: This is a health care institute based observational cross sectional study including randomly selected 200 JSY beneficiary mothers from the different health care settings i.e., Primary Health Centres, Community Health Centres, District Hospital and Medical College Hospital of Rewa District of Madhya Pradesh state. Data was collected with the help of set pro forma and then analysed with Epi Info 2000. Chi square test was applied appropriately. Results: 60% and 80% beneficiaries from PHC and CHC received cash within 1 week after discharge whereas 100% beneficiaries of District Hospital and Medical College Hospital received cash at the time of discharge; the overall distribution of time of cash disbursement among beneficiaries of PHC, CHC, DH and Medical College Hospital were found to be statistically significant.(Chi-square =45.04, p-value: 0.0000). Shortage of doctors at Health Care Centers was found to be a major cause for the delay in cash disbursement.

Keywords

• Janani Suraksha Yojana
• National Rural Health Mission
• ASHA
• Beneficiaries