Nutrition kits to be distributed to 6 lakh pregnant women every year, says Health Minister

Telangana Health Minister Harish Rao launches ‘Arogya Mahila’ programme

Nutrition kits will be disbursed to pregnant women after the ensuing Sri Rama Navami festival to effectively cater to the nutritional needs of pregnant women, Health Minister T. Harish Rao said.

He was speaking at a meeting held on the occasion of International Women’s Day after launching the ‘Arogya Mahila’ programme at the Urban Health Centre in Buttirajaram Colony in Karimnagar on Wednesday.

Under the ‘Arogya Mahila’ initiative a range of comprehensive diagnostic, treatment and healthcare services will be provided to women by an all-female team of doctors, nurses and other support staff at the centre on every Tuesday. The programme was simultaneously launched in 100 centres across the State.

Listing out the State government’s women-centric schemes such as Kalyana Lakshmi and Shaadi Mubarak, he said the KCR Kit scheme has resulted in increase of institutional deliveries in public health facilities to around 63% from 30% prior to its introduction.

The State government is implementing a slew of women-oriented schemes to ensure women’s safety, well being and economic empowerment, he said, adding that plans were afoot to distribute two nutrition kits each to around six lakh pregnant women every year. He said the government started disbursement of interest-free loans worth ₹ 750 crore to women self-help groups on the occasion of International Women’s Day as part of the first phase.

The government medical college is coming up with an outlay of ₹ 500 crore in Karimnagar and it is slated to start functioning from this year, he added.

Civil Supplies and Backward Classes Welfare Minister G Kamalakar, Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare Swetha Mohanty, Karimnagar Collector R.V. Karnan and others were present.