After facing criticism for high maternal mortality rate in the state and increasing number of unassisted deliveries on way to hospitals, the Mayawati government has decided to launch the Transport Referral Scheme for pregnant women. The scheme will provide free transport up to hospitals for pregnant women below poverty line and on subsidised rates to others. The vehicle will be stationed at local health centres round the clock and can be pressed into service whenever required. Local transporters will be given contracts to operate the vehicles and tenders to this effect will soon be invited in all the districts. “We are planning to launch the scheme on the PPP model,” said Rajiv Kapoor, Mission Director of National Rural Health Mission, UP.“There is an urgent need for such scheme in the state because despite providing money for transport to pregnant women under Janani Suraksha Yojna, they were unable to make use of it as there was scarcity of vehicles in several areas,” said a senior official of the health department.He added, “Since the transporter will be based in the district, he can easily ensure availability of vehicles at health centres. We hope this scheme will reduce maternal mortality to a great extent.” Earlier it was decided to launch the scheme only in certain districts, but in a high-level meeting on Thursday, the government decided to launch the scheme across the state.
