Bhopal : Expectant mothers will be given free of cost diet in the government hospitals till their discharge after delivery from there. Post-natal, a woman will be kept at the health institution for 48 hours mandatorily. The responsibility of providing these women quality and suitable food will rest with the district-level Quality Assurance Committee and officers of the office of the Controller, Food and Drugs Administration Department. These instructions have been given by Commissioner, Health, Shri J.N. Kansotiya to all the district collectors and Chief Medical and Health Officers.Detailed directives have also been issued in this connection. After ordinary delivery, the woman should be kept at the health institution for at least 48 hours so that if any complication is detected during this period, it can be treated. Instructions have been given to provide free of cost breakfast, lunch and dinner to such women at the government hospitals where there is kitchen facility. It has been made clear in the instructions that if any health institution does not have kitchen facility, then the Rogi Kalyan Samiti will arrange meals through a selected self-help group.
Assistance can also be sought in this task from the self-help groups, which have been preparing midday meals. It has been said in the instructions that free of cost nutritious diet should be given at the government hospitals to pregnant women for at least three days in case of general delivery and for seven days in case of cesarean delivery. It has also been made clear that such a woman can be kept in the hospital for more than this period if it is medically required and given free of cost diet during this extended period.
A woman admitted to a government hospital for pre-natal complications will also be provided free food. If the new born is kept in S.N.C.U after delivery, his mother will also be given free food during that period. It has been said in the instructions that the responsibility of ensuring quality of diet will rest with the district-level Quality Assurance Committee and district officers of Food & Drugs Administration Department.