Aam Sabha held on September 2,2013

Participants: Women from Alipur and nearby villages: 62, Children: around 10, Men: 10-15 ASHA didi, Alipur Anganwadi Sevika , AWC, Alipur Saurabh Kumar, Secretary, Seva Setu Kumkum ji, Field Coordinator, Seva Setu Saurabh ji, Volunteer, Seva Setu Prashant ji, Volunteer, Seva Setu

Key Issues discussed/raised: 1. 2. Nobody knew the difference between the two schemes under discussion: JBSY and JSSK Most of the women knew that they were supposed to get Rs 1400 for every institutional delivery under JBSY but almost none of them knew about all the free benefits available under JSSK. 3. None of the women were aware of the fact that under JSSK there are free benefits available for even newborn children till 30 days after delivery 4. Women complained that the ASHA Didi and the AWC Sevika dont give detailed information about any scheme. Had they been given detailed information, they would have tried to avail of all those facilities and services, said some women. 5. Generally, the amount of Rs 1400 is given 8-10 days after delivery. Ideally, this is supposed to be done on the day of delivery itself. 6. Till now the amount was given as cash at the health centre itself. Now onwards it will be transferred to their account, said the ASHA didi. 7. Many women said that they had to pay between Rs 100-300 as tip to 102 ambulance drivers. So, there have been many cases where women of the area have taken a private auto instead of 102 ambulance to go to the hospital. 8. The 102 ambulance usually comes within half an hour of being called, said most women. 9. Usually these women go to the PHC in Phulwari or a private facility in a nearby area named Ganj for their delivery. However, many of these women reported that they themselves had to arrange for bed-sheet, medicine, blood, and food in the hospital. Ideally, all these are supposed to be provided for free under JSSK. 10. There are cases when women need blood during delivery and post-delivery. But because of unavailability of Blood bank at the Phulwari PHC, these are referred to PMCH (the sub-divisional hospital Patna) for blood which is around 78 kms away from the PHC. Keeping this in view, we advised women to find out their Blood group in the next ANC checkup and try to identify someone in the family with the same blood group. This is one of the ways of mitigating the risk arising out of lack of timely availability of blood. 11. Women also reported that nurses trouble them a lot at the PHC centre. Nurses at the PHC do not even attend a pregnant woman unless they get Rs 500 from her. The midwives also ask for Rs 50-100 post delivery. For medicine, water, injection the expenses come around Rs 200, said many women. All these are supposed to provided for free under JSSK.