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“As a result of these interventions, institutional deliveries have risen to 78.9% and more importantly, institutional births in public facilities have increased from 18% to 52% under NHM. In the rural areas, the out of pocket expenditure for childbirth in public health facilities has also decreased,” she elaborated.

Reiterating the Government’s commitment to providing quality healthcare services, Smt Anupriya Patel said that quality of care is an area that requires greater attention. Recognizing this the Ministry of Health has launched 'LaQshya - Labour room Quality improvement Initiative' in 2017.

LaQshya program is a focused and targeted approach to strengthen key processes related to the labour rooms and maternity operation theatres which aims at improving quality of care around birth and ensuring Respectful Maternity Care, she added. The Minister further said that with the launch of Ayushman Bharat, interventions to address issues of women's health will be further strengthened and made women-centric.

Dr Vinod Paul, Member, NITI Aayog said that efforts to reduce MMR have to be doubled and initiatives such as Ayushman Bharat will help towards this. He emphasized on the need for research linked to screening, referral services and further treatment and said that models of healthcare ought to lead to better outcomes.

Ms Preeti Sudan, Secretary (Health) said that women’s health has received attention in a ‘continuum of care’ framework along with interventions such as ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’. She added that empowerment of women and their health are very closely related and the rise in institutional deliveries through Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK) and Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) are providing healthcare services to encourage this.

She further elaborated on the comprehensive primary health care services being provided under Ayushman Bharat which provide screening for many ailments, and women are now being screened for common cancers such as breast, cervical and oral cancers.