Just 2,094 doctors engaged in private practice from across the States have registered till March this year with the PM Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) to voluntarily provide special antenatal care (ANC) services to pregnant women to reduce maternal mortality rate (MMR) and infant mortality rate (IMR).
The scheme which was launched in June 2016 aims at providing ante-natal care packages to around 3 crore pregnant women on the ninth of every month by a private practitioner. It can be obstetrician/radiologist/physician who can offer their services in the facilities where enough doctors are not available in the Government sector.
The doctors willing to volunteer are to register online on pmsma.nhp.gov.in. Currently, there are 11,398 facilities providing PMSMA services across the States and till March 2017 around 2094 doctors have registered with the scheme.
As per the Union Health Ministry's website, in terms of volunteers registered till March 2017, Madhya Pradesh tops the list with 622 doctors followed by Rajasthan (446 doctors), Uttar Pradesh (437), Maharashtra (312) and Gujarat (277).
Around 15,8703 pregnant woman (in 2nd or 3rd trimester) have received antenatal care under PMSMA till March 2017. The number might be on little higher side as in 22 days around 700 private professionals have registered with the campaign.
The Ministry's officials have attributed the lackluster response from the private doctors to lack of awareness about the campaign.
The Ministry had launched the scheme following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to the private doctors late May 2016 at a rally in Saharanpur.
Modi had said, "Can my doctor friends do one thingIJ On the 9th of every month, if any poor pregnant women comes to them, they should give her free treatment. Our poor mothers sometimes die during childbirth. If our doctors give 12 days in 12 months to the cause - the 9th of every month - no doctor will suffer a major loss. If people can give up gas subsidy, doctors can also give 12 days to poor mothers."
While registering on the site, the doctors concerned have to indicate the State, district and Government hospital where they want to render the services. The civil surgeon concerned has to facilitate his visit to the health centre. The number of patients they treat and the number of hours they give at the hospital on the day would be listed against their names.
Dr Hrishikesh Pai, Secretary General, The federation of obstetric and gynecological societies of India (FOGSI) had assured full support to the campaign when it was launched promising that it will motivate all its members to join the scheme. The FOGSI has nearly 29,000 members.