TAF PUBLISHING

In India, about 67,000 women have died every year due to pregnancy-related complications. Still, 25% of pregnant women hesitate to access health facilities due to high out-of-pocket expenses on medical care and transport required to take them from their home to health facilities. To investigate its performance, the awareness, availability, and utilization of committed referral transport services for pregnant women and sick newborns are assessed at selected public health facilities. In particular, these indicators are observed through a community and facility-based cross-sectional study conducted during 2012-2013 at two Primary Health Centres (PHCs) of the district under observation. All mothers (120) having children less than six months of age are interviewed. A modified and validated questionnaire assesses the committed free referral transportation services (FRST) cost for rural communities. Besides, all health professionals from selected public health facilities are also interviewed. The results show that the overall awareness over FRTS among participants is at 44.17%. Both PHC has ambulances, but none of them has a GPS installed. The utilization of these committed and free ambulance cost is as low as 28% for pregnant women and none for sick newborn from home to health institutions; 19.24% of pregnant women and 50% of sick newborns have been assisted by FRTS from a transfer to a higher level facility for complications, while two-third pregnant women and no sick newborn have been assisted for being dropped back home. In sum, the integrated efforts are required to maximize the utilization of committed FRTS costs for accessing healthcare and reducing maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality.