The birth of a child should be a moment of pure joy for a family. However, for decades in India, this moment was often overshadowed by immense risk and financial anxiety. High costs of delivery, transport, and medicines at hospitals forced many families, especially in rural areas, to opt for unsafe home births. This led to tragically high rates of maternal and infant mortality.
To change this reality and protect two lives at their most vulnerable moment, the government launched the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) on June 1, 2011. This is not a scheme that just gives some money; it’s a powerful promise to make the entire experience of childbirth, from travel to treatment, completely free for pregnant women and their sick newborns in public health institutions.
What is JSSK? A Quick Look
- Full Name: Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram
- Launched: June 1, 2011
- Ministry: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
- Goal: To eliminate all out-of-pocket expenses for pregnant women and sick infants who access government health facilities. The ultimate aim is to bring down the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR).
The Zero-Expense Promise: What Does JSSK Cover?
JSSK provides a comprehensive package of “no-cost” entitlements. It’s a game-changer that removes every financial barrier to safe delivery.
For Pregnant Women
When a pregnant woman visits a public health facility (like a Community Health Centre or a District Hospital), she is entitled to:
- Free and Cashless Delivery: This covers both normal deliveries and, if needed, Caesarean sections. The family pays absolutely nothing for the procedure.
- Free Drugs and Consumables: All essential medicines, IV fluids, and surgical supplies required during her stay are provided free of cost.
- Free Diagnostics: All necessary laboratory tests, blood tests, and imaging like ultrasounds are completely free.
- Free Diet: The scheme guarantees up to 3 days of a free, nutritious diet during a normal delivery and 7 days for a C-section.
- Free Blood: In case a blood transfusion is required, the blood is provided for free.
- Free Transport: This is a crucial lifeline. It includes free ambulance transport from her home to the hospital, between hospitals in case of a referral to a bigger facility, and a free drop-off back home after discharge.
For Sick Newborns
The protection extends to the baby as well. All sick newborns, up to 30 days after birth, are entitled to:
- Free and Cashless Treatment: All medical care, including treatment at a Sick Newborn Care Unit (SNCU), is provided at zero cost.
- All the other benefits—free drugs, diagnostics, and free transport—are also extended to the infant.
How is it Different from Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)?
This is a common point of confusion. The two schemes work together but are different.
- JSY (Janani Suraksha Yojana) is an older scheme (launched in 2005) that gives a direct cash payment to a mother for delivering her baby in a hospital. It’s an incentive to encourage institutional births.
- JSSK is the next step. It’s not about giving cash but about making the entire service free. So, a mother might receive a cash incentive under JSY, and on top of that, all her expenses (delivery, medicines, transport, etc.) are covered by JSSK.
The Human Touch: A Safe and Dignified Birth
Geeta, a 24-year-old woman in a remote village in Odisha, was pregnant with her first child. The nearest government hospital was an hour’s drive away. Her family was worried. Hiring a private taxi would cost a lot, and they feared the hospital would present them with a big bill for medicines and tests. They were reluctantly considering a risky home birth with a local, untrained dai.
Then, the local ASHA worker told them about their rights under JSSK. When Geeta went into labor at night, the ASHA worker helped them call the 108 ambulance service. The ambulance arrived at their doorstep and took Geeta to the hospital safely and for free.
The delivery was smooth, and all services, from the delivery itself to the medicines and meals, were provided without any charge. Three days later, a healthy Geeta and her newborn baby were dropped back home by the same ambulance service. The JSSK scheme removed all the financial stress and fear, allowing Geeta’s family to focus on the pure joy of welcoming a new member.
Impact and Challenges
The scheme has had a profound impact on India’s health indicators.
Impact
JSSK, along with JSY and the broader National Health Mission, has been a major driving force behind India’s impressive reduction in the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR). It has significantly boosted the number of women choosing safe institutional deliveries over risky home births.
Challenges
- Quality of Care: While services are free, ensuring a consistent high quality of care, maintaining hygiene standards, and promoting respectful behavior from staff across thousands of public facilities remains a continuous challenge.
- Awareness Gaps: Many families are still not fully aware of all their entitlements, especially the free transport and the free diet, which sometimes results in them not availing these benefits.
- Last-Mile Connectivity: Ensuring timely ambulance services in remote, hilly, or poorly connected areas continues to be a logistical hurdle.
Conclusion
The Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) is a life-saving public health initiative that treats safe childbirth as a fundamental right, not a privilege. By removing the daunting financial barriers to maternal and newborn care, the scheme has saved countless lives and empowered women to seek the care they deserve. It stands as a cornerstone of India’s commitment to the health of its mothers and children, paving the way for a stronger and healthier future generation.