The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India launched ‘LaQshya’ (Labour room Quality improvement Initiative)Initiative to improve quality of care in labour room and maternity operation theatres in public health facilities.
Key points:
i. App: It is a safe delivery mobile application for health workers who manage normal and complicated deliveries in the peripheral area
ii. Aim: It aims to reduce preventable maternal and newborn mortality, morbidity, and stillbirths associated with the care around delivery in the Labour room and Maternity Operation Theatre and ensure respectful maternity care.
iii. Objectives: The objectives of the initiative include
- To reduce maternal and newborn mortality & morbidity due to hemorrhage, retained placenta, preterm, preeclampsia and eclampsia, obstructed labor, puerperal sepsis, newborn asphyxia, and newborn sepsis, etc.
- To improve Quality of care during the delivery and immediate post-partum care, stabilization of complications and ensure timely referrals, and enable an effective two-way follow-up system.
- To enhance the satisfaction of beneficiaries visiting the health facilities and provide Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) to all pregnant women attending the public health facilities.
iv. Facilities: It will be implemented in government Medical Colleges (MCs), District Hospitals (DHs), high delivery load Sub- District Hospitals (SDHs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs) with over 100 deliveries/month ( 60 in hills and desert areas).
v. 2427 Public health facilities across the country have been identified for implementation of LaQshya Program till date.