‘Private hospitals should emphasise on natural delivery rather than caesarean’

These days private hospitals stress on caesareans as there is more money in it.

Health Minister Kali Charan Saraf on Wednesday said that the private hospitals should emphasise on natural and normal delivery rather than caesareans. He spoke to the media after inaugurating La Femme, specialised healthcare for women and children at Fortis Escorts hospital in Jaipur.

He said, “These days private hospitals stress on caesareans as there is more money in it. On the contrary, La Femme is emphasising on natural birth and water birth facility. This should be followed by other hospitals too.”

As per the National Family Health Survey-4 (2015-16), birth in private health facilities by caesarean section is 23.2%, while in public health facility it is 6.1%. In NFHS-3 (2005-06), it was 14.9% caesareans in private health facilities and 11.7% in the public health ones.

Saraf on this occasion asked the Fortis Escort Hospital authorities and officials to provide high class facility to the poor and the ones below poverty line.

He also asked this private hospital to enrol in Bhamashah Swasthya Bima Yojana (BSBY).

“There are more than 600 private hospitals empanelled in BSBY and Fortis hospital should also get empanelled in the list so that poor people get the best treatment facilities. In one and a half years of implementation of BSBY, 13.5 lakh poor people have been benefitted and claims worth ₹700 crore have been booked with the insurance companies,” he said.

Fortis La Femme chief operating officer Anika Parashar said “We are delighted to formally announce the launch of La Femme at Fortis Escorts, Jaipur on the occasion of its 10th anniversary celebration. La Femme intends to be every woman’s healthcare partner at all stages of her journey starting from Menarche to Menopause.”