Rajasthan Prasav Sakhi: Acting on the instructions of Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, the ‘Prasav Sakhi’ (Birthing Companion) system is being launched in Rajasthan’s government hospitals to provide better support, guidance, and timely treatment to high-risk pregnant women. According to guidelines issued by the Medical and Health Department, this system will be implemented in a phased manner across medical college-affiliated hospitals, district hospitals, and First Referral Units (FRUs) with high delivery caseloads. The objective is to make maternal and child health services more patient-centric, responsive, coordinated, and respectful.
Trained Health Workers to be Deployed in Pink Aprons
Under the new system, trained nursing staff, ANMs, or other selected female health workers wearing pink aprons will serve as ‘Prasav Sakhis’. They will assist high-risk pregnant women arriving at the hospital at every stage—from admission and delivery to postpartum care and discharge. They will coordinate processes related to registration, testing, medical consultation, treatment, linkage to specialist services, and referrals when necessary.
24×7 Help Desk and Integrated Transport Service
Gayatri Rathore, Principal Secretary (Medical and Health), stated that 24×7 maternal and child health help desks would be established in each designated hospital, serving as the primary point of contact for pregnant women and their families. Staffed by Prasav Sakhis, these help desks will provide information regarding hospital services, tests, and treatments, while also guiding patients and their families. Additionally, an integrated system involving the ‘104 Janani Express’, the help desk, and the Prasav Sakhi will ensure safe transport from home to the hospital and seamless service delivery within the facility. High-risk pregnant women will be accorded priority in both transport and treatment. Rathore noted that this initiative would foster continuous monitoring, timely treatment, effective referral management, and safe institutional deliveries for high-risk pregnant women. It will also prove to be a significant step towards providing more respectful, comfortable, and high-quality maternity services to pregnant women in government hospitals.
