Govt takes various measures for better implementation of Nischay Yan scheme

The State government has taken various measures for the better implementation of the ‘Nischay Yan’ scheme in the rural areas so that the pregnant women can be transported to the nearby hospitals free of cost.

The state health department is planning to launch the centralised mechanism to control and operate the ambulances plying in the rural districts so that the driver of the vehicle cannot demand exorbitant fees from the family members of the patient.

The state government started the ‘Nischay Yan’ scheme under the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) a few years ago, which entitled the expectant women to avail ambulance services before and after their deliveries, completely free of cost. Women belonging to below poverty line were supposed to avail the facilities. But the health department had faced difficulties to run the project smoothly in the rural areas due to poor infrastructure and bad condition of the roads. As a result, some agencies who run ambulance services in the areas demanded high charges from the patients. Keeping in view the growing number of complaints against the ambulance operators in the districts, the state health department is planning to open a centralised call centre round the clock so that people from the farthest districts can book the ambulance. The patients’ family members can enrol themselves for availing the facility by calling at a toll free number 102 which will soon be made operational. The transportation will be provided to the patients during their admission and release from the hospital. The health department had earlier planned to run a call centre but there were some loopholes as a result of which the service was not properly kicked off.