LaQshya its Objectives, Golas & Significance | UPSC – IAS

LaQshya & its Significance | UPSC – IAS

“LaQshya” (Labour room Quality improvement Initiative) programme of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare which is Intended to Improve the Quality of care in labour Rooms & Maternity Operation Theatres in

• Government Medical College Hospitals,
• District Hospitals,
• Sub-district Hospitals and
• other high caseload health facilities.
• Designated FRUs and high case load CHCs with over 100 deliveries/month ( 60 in hills and desert areas)

Under the laQshya initiative, States are urged to undertake concerted efforts in a campaign mode to ensure that respectful and high quality maternal care is provided to each woman during delivery and immediate Postpartum. It would essentially entail undertaking several actions simultaneously at different levels –

• National,
• States, Districts and
• Health Facilities.

It is estimated that approximately 46% maternal deaths, over 40% stillbirths and 40% newborn deaths take place on the day of the delivery.

It aims to give qualitative care to the pregnant mother in the Labour Room to minimize the risks associated with childbirth.

Objectives of LaQshya | UPSC – IAS

• To reduce maternal and newborn mortality & morbidity due to hemorrhage, retained placenta, preterm, obstructed labour, newborn sepsis, etc.
• To improve Quality of care during the delivery and immediate postpartum care, stabilization of complications and ensure timely referrals, and enable an effective two-way follow-up system.
• To enhance satisfaction of beneficiaries visiting the health facilities and provide Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) to all pregnant women attending the public health facilities.

Quality certification of labour rooms Under LaQshya Initiative | UPSC – IAS

The achievement of quality benchmarks should be used for branding of the QoC at the health facility. This will give
sense of pride to the staff as well as provide confidence to the community that they are getting quality care at public hospitals. The departments may be provided badges (LaQshya Medal) based on the quality score, achieved in the state level assessment.

• Platinum Badge : Achieving more than 90% Score.
• Gold Badge : Achieving More than 80% Score.
• Silver Badge : Achieving more than 70% Score.

These badges should be worn by the care providers as well as prominently displayed at relevant places in the hospitals.

Goal of LaQshya | UPSC – IAS

• Reduce preventable maternal and newborn mortality,
• Morbidity and stillbirths associated with the care around delivery in Labour room and
• Maternity Operation Theatres and ensure respectful maternity care.

Strategies of LaQshya | UPSC – IAS

• Reorganizing/aligning Labour room & Maternity Operation Theatre layout and workflow as per ‘Labour Room Standardization Guidelines’ and ‘Maternal & Newborn Health Toolkit’ issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.
• Ensuring that at least all government medical college hospitals and high caseload district hospitals have dedicated obstetric HDUs as per GoI MOHFW Guidelines, for managing complicated pregnancies that require life-saving critical care.
• Ensuring strict adherence to clinical protocols for management and stabilization of the complications before referral to higher centres.