Uttar Pradesh: Pregnant women to get free-of-cost blood tranfusion in state

In a significant step towards enhancing the medical procedures of a pregnant women in Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government has said that pregnant women, in case of emergency, will be given free-of-cost blood transfusion.

The government has also notified that the family members would not necessarily need to donate blood in exchange.

“Pregnant women should be provided blood free-of-cost and their relatives should not be pressurised for donation in exchange for the blood unit issued by the blood bank. This has to be followed at all government hospitals and medical institutes in the state,” read government’s release.

The rule before the notification, states that for each unit of blood or blood component (such as platelet), one unit of blood has to be donated at the concerned blood bank and a prescribed fee has to be paid. However, the state government has informed that the rules will be relaxed for expectant mothers.

The National Health Mission has granted Rs. 20 crores for general tests/diagnosis of pregnant women in the state and Rs. 3.93 crore for ultrasound tests.

Brajesh Pathak, UP’s Deputy Chief Minister and health and family welfare minister claimed that about 90 per cent of this money has been distributed to districts to execute the free-of-coset facility.

“We are transporting pregnant women to the hospital via ambulance free of cost. The mother and the new-born are also provided an ambulance to return home from the hospital after discharge. All efforts are being made to increase the rate of institutional delivery,” added Pathak.

In Uttar Pradesh, approximately 56-lakh deliveries take place every year.