Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, April 24:

To encourage women to seek medical services during deliveries, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has introduced an incentive package for safe delivery services. The scheme has been introduced keeping in mind the inaccessability/unavailability of skilled health attendants and lack of money to bear the transportation costs, said Dr Ganga Shakya, reproductive health coordinator at Family Health Division. Under the scheme, pregnant women seeking medical aid from the Terai, Hilly and Mountainous region will receive Rs 500, Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,500 each respectively. The scheme states the patient can get the transportation fare from the hospitals and health posts where they seek the service. Skilled health attendants will also be given a special incentive for providing the services and health institutions will get Rs 1,000 for free delivery services. Government hospitals and health posts in 25 districts with the lowest Human Development Index (HDI) will provide free maternity service. Dr Nirakar Man Shrestha, director general at the Department of Health Services, said there would be no hassles regarding the distribution of money as the government has already formulated the ‘’Delivery Service Regulation’. “It will come into effect from July/August 2005,” he said.