KCR Kits Breaking New Ground

Hyderabad: The Telangana government's showpiece initiative to improve healthcare facilities around mother and child care in the government hospitals has continued to break new ground and create records. Since its inception in June 2017, under the KCR Kits scheme, the government hospitals in the State have conducted a record 8 lakh deliveries, so far.

Over the last 31 months, close to 19 lakh pregnant women have registered themselves with the KCR Kits scheme and have shown interest in undergoing delivery at a government hospital. Within the same period, the health authorities have also managed to distribute over 6 lakh KCR Kits to pregnant women. Health officials said that they are overwhelmed with the response to the scheme. The financial benefit for pregnant women under the KCR Kits scheme has already touched Rs 600 crores.

There have also been improvements in vital healthcare parameters at multiple levels. The scheme has not only led to an increase in the number of deliveries in the government hospitals but has also improved regular Antenatal (ANC) check-ups and even immunization. To avail the financial benefits, pregnant women must undergo regular ANC check-ups before the delivery and also attend immunization sessions after the delivery.

Another major positive impact of the KCR Kits initiative has been on the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Maternal Mortality (MMR) in Telangana. The rise in the admission of pregnant women in government hospitals has had a positive influence on IMR and MMR. According to Senior health officials, the improvement in Maternal Mortality Rate and Infant Mortality Rate has come because of the special focus on improving infrastructure regarding Mother and Child Health in the State.

A significant benefit has also been the massive improvement in childhood immunization among infants in the first three and nine months of their birth. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) of 2015-16, close to 67 percent of children between 12 and 23 months of age are fully immunized in Telangana, which means the infants have received BCG, measles, and three doses each of polio and DPT. The percentage of full immunization of infants, based on NFHS-4 data, in both urban and rural regions, is very similar, at 66 percent and 68 percent, respectively.