The state health department is set to introduce a novel voucher scheme for pregnant women in the rural areas in two districts in which they can avail of ambulance service and the health centre service without having to paying anything in cash.

As per the National Family Health Survey (2005-06), infant mortality has been as high as 50 per thousand in Bengal over the past five years whereas the figure stood at 42 in urban areas.

The voucher scheme, first of its kind in the country, was first mooted in 2007 and Bankura district was chosen to run a pilot project. After an encouraging response, the state health department is extending it to the districts of Nadia and Purulia.

The scheme is more of an add-on to the existing National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), a Central scheme that includes Janani Suraksha Yojana Scheme, in which pregnant mothers coming from BPL families are also provided the ambulance cost. However, the family has to pay for the ambulance initially and get it reimbursed from the government later. State health officials said in many cases, the very poor found it hard to pay the cost and hence the voucher scheme, which ensures a cash-less transaction.

As per the scheme, a pregnant woman will get Rs 300 she goes to a nearby health centre located within 10 kilometers for institutional delivery. In case she visits a health centre within 20 kilometres from her home, she gets Rs 500.

“The scheme for pregnant women under the NRHM plan needed some new thrust. In the voucher system, pregnant women can use the vouchers given to them by us to avail the ambulance service and the services at the health centre. The beneficiary can later use the voucher to collect money. We are extending it two more places and soon we hope to start it all over Bengal,” said Deb Kumar Chakraborty, joint secretary, NRHM-Bengal.

... contd.