Harish: 'KCR Kit' led to spike in institutional deliveries

Hyderabad: Health Minister T Harish Rao on Friday said institutional deliveries increased by 24 per cent after the government introduced 'KCR Kit' for pregnant women in the State. He was replying to questions on KCR Kits raised by Padma Devender Reddy (TRS) in the Assembly. Rao said the institutional deliveries had increased in the State after introduction of KCR Kits.

The department had distributed 10.85 lakh KCR kits by spending Rs 1,387 crore since June 2, 2017. It had spent Rs 407 crore to set up 22 mother and childcare centres across the State. Of the total centres, 16 had been completed; remaining eight were at different stages.

The minister said before the scheme was introduced, there were 30 per cent institutional deliveries. After KCR Kit was introduced they rose to 54 per cent, an increase of 24 per cent. The maternal mortality rate had come down from 92 to 63 per cent; infant mortality rate had come down from 39 to 23 per cent in the State since 2014. He said the NMR rate had come down to 16 per cent from 25. The State had achieved 100 per cent vaccination from 68 percent.

Commenting on the annual budget, Rao said the government was launching a new scheme, 'Nutrition Kit', which would be implemented in nine districts. It would be launched in April. On the C-sections, he said they were coming down. There was a need to create awareness among pregnant women on advantages of normal deliveries. Only 20 per cent of total surgeries in developed countries were C-sections.

He said the ministry was going ahead to achieve 75 per cent institutional deliveries in days to come. He asked MLAs to sensitise private hospitals that C-sections were making women weak and depriving new born of mother's milk. He said in private hospitals there were 78 per cent c-sections.