Chennai, Tamil Nadu :

Mothers and newborns in the city need no longer worry about a safe mode of transit from hospital to home.

The Chennai Corporation has launched a ‘drop back’ facility for mothers at its hospitals in the city. Services have begun at two Corporation hospitals in Saidapet and Aynavaram on Tuesday.

“At least 18,000 mothers will benefit from the scheme every year. It will be implemented in the 14 emergency obstetric care centres of the Corporation shortly,” said an official.

The Corporation’s maternity hospitals are located in Vadapalani, Tiruvottiyur, Sanjevaroyanpet, Pushpa Nagar, Adyar, Meenambal Nagar, Pulianthope, Padi, Shenoy Nagar, Porur and Alandur.

The free ‘drop back’ facility is part of the Union health ministry’s Janani-Shishu Suraksha Karyakram launched in 2011. However, the benefits of the scheme have reached the poor in the city only after four years.

“The services are aimed at mitigating the burden of expenses incurred by pregnant women and sick newborns. It will bring down maternal mortality and infant mortality rates. Many families in the city are unable to meet transport expenses of pregnant women during institutional deliveries,” said an official.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Aloysius Xavier Lopez / Chennai – February 18th, 2015