The Union Health Ministry recently announced the launch of LaQshya, a programme aimed at improving quality of care in labour room and maternity operation theatre.
The programme, the Ministry claimed, will improve the quality of care for pregnant women in labour rooms, maternity operation theatres, and obstetrics Intensive Care Units and High Dependency Units.
The programme aims at implementing ‘fast-track’ interventions for achieving tangible results within 18 months, noted a senior Health official. Under the initiative, a multipronged strategy has been adopted, including improving infrastructure upgradation, ensuring availability of essential equipment, providing adequate human resources, capacity building of healthcare workers and improving quality processes in the labour room.
India has improved maternal survival as Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) reduced from 301 maternal deaths in 2001-03 to 167 in 2011-13, an impressive decline of 45% in a decade.
