How true are the claims about the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan?﻿
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 15, 2019
The government made four claims about the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA). How true are these claims?
The BJP government has published an infographic that makes claimsabout the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) on the 48-months portal. This article is afact check of the claims.
What is the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan?
The first claim is that the Pradhan MantriSurakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) was ‘launched to ensure good health of mother and
child’.
According to the official website, ‘the PMSMA has
been launched by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW),
Government of India. The program aims to provide assured, comprehensive and
quality antenatal care, free of cost, universally to all pregnant women on the
9th of every month. PMSMA guarantees a minimum package of antenatal care
services to women in their 2nd/3rd trimesters of pregnancy at designated
government health facilities’.
As per the official website, the PMSMAenvisages improvement in the quality and coverage of Antenatal Care (ANC)including diagnostics and counselling services as part of the ReproductiveMaternal Neonatal Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCH+A) Strategy
Claim: Launched to ensure good health of mother and child.
Fact: The scheme envisages improvement in the quality and coverage of Antenatal Care (ANC) including diagnostics and counselling services. However, the claim is vague and it states the goal of the program. Hence, the claim remains UNVERIFIED.
How many health facilities are available in the
country?
The second claim is that‘more than 12900 health facilities across all state/UT’. As per datashared in the Lok Sabha in July 2018, since itsinception in 2016, free quality antenatal services are provided to all pregnantwomen visiting 13047 PMSMA sites across the country.The website shows that there are 13,222 facilities providingPMSMA services as of on 8 April 2019.
Claim: More than 12900 health facilities across all state/UT.
Fact: As of July 2018, there are more than 13000 centers offering PMSMA services. Hence, the claim is TRUE.
Have one crore ante natal check-ups been conducted?
The third claim is that‘more than 1.16 crore antenatal check-ups have been conducted as of January’.
According to the official website, ‘the program aims
to provide assured, comprehensive and quality antenatal care, free of cost,
universally to all pregnant women on the 9th of every month. PMSMA guarantees a
minimum package of antenatal care services to women in their 2nd/3rd trimesters
of pregnancy at designated government health facilities’.
In a question answered in the Lok Sabha in July 2018, it is stated that ‘since its
inception in 2016, free quality antenatal services are provided to all pregnant
women visiting 13047 PMSMA sites across the country. Over 1.35 crore antenatal
check-ups have been conducted under the progamme till date’.
However, this is not the first ever programon antenatal care. The previous governments also had dedicated antenatal care programs.
Claim: More than 1.16 crore antenatal check-ups have been conducted as of January.
Fact: 1.35 crore antenatal check-ups have been conducted under the progamme. Hence, the claim is TRUE.
How many high risk pregnancies have been identified?
The fourth claim is that“More than 6 lakh high risk pregnancies
identified’.
One of the critical components of the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan is identificationand follow-up of high risk pregnancies. Since its inception in 2016, Over 7 lakh women with high risk conditions have been identified.
Claim: More than 6 lakh high risk pregnancies identified.
Fact: Since its inception in 2016, over 7 lakh women with high risk conditions have been identified. Hence, the claim is TRUE.
This story is part of a larger series on the 4-years of the Modi government. This series has been made possible with the flash grant of the International Fact Checking Network (IFCN). Read the rest of the stories in this series here