PILs in HC to implement health schemes for poor pregnant women

New Delhi: Two PILs were moved in Delhi High Court seeking directions to the Centre and AAP government to ensure effective implementation of various health schemes meant for pregnant and lactating women in the national capital, especially in slum areas.

The petitions came up before a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal which listed them for hearing on November 16 along with another similar plea.

The pleas, filed on behalf of various pregnant and lactating women residing in the slum clusters near Yamuna Bank here, have alleged that healthcare schemes like National Health Mission and Janani Suraksha Yojna (JSY) were not being brought to the knowledge of the people living in such areas.

The petitions have also contended that the benefits of these schemes were not being communicated to people living in slums by the Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers as they seldom visited such places.

The pleas also claimed that women in slum areas were not getting the cash assistance under JSY and benefits under various schemes.

Directions have been sought in the petitions to the two governments to ensure "considerable reduction or complete elimination" of out of pocket expenditure on medicines and other health care facilities for poor pregnant and lactating women living in the slum clusters near Yamuna Bank.

Apart from healthcare facilities, the petitions have also sought basic civic amenities for poor pregnant and lactating women in the national capital.