To ensure quality of care during intrapartum and immediate post-partum period and to reduce maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India has initiated the “LaQshya” program. Implementation of LaQshya program is supported by the existing quality assurance framework of the NHM. Under LaQshya program quality improvement activities have been implemented in labour rooms and maternity OTs. Multi-pronged strategy has been adopted such as improving Infrastructure, ensuring availability of essential equipment, providing adequate Human Resources, capacity building of health care workers and improving quality processes in labour room. Quality Improvement in labour room and maternity OT has been assessed through NQAS checklist and for certification under LaQshya program facility shall score more than 70% score in assessment.

National Health Mission, Madhya Pradesh has started the implementation of the LaQshya Program in 2018-19. In first phase 20 district hospitals were chosen for LaQshya program. At present LaQshya program has been implemented in 51 District Hospitals, 70 Civil Hospitals and 133 Community Health Centres. In FY 2020-21 total 61 Facilities (DHs/CHs/CHCs) has been undergone for National level LaQshya certification and 34 facilities (DHs/CHs/CHCs) for State Level LaQshya certification.

NIPI is supporting LaQshya program in two aspirational districts; Rajgarh and Singrauli. Total seven facilities (2 district and 5 sub-district level) has been assigned to NIPI. NIPI has supported the assigned facilities in preparation of facility specific action plan based on the baseline assessments, orientated the medical officers and nursing staff in quality improvement activities like basic quality improvement tools, PDCA, Process Mapping etc. and documentation of quality improvement activities like defining the SMART objectives, presentation of data in the form of histogram, line diagram and pareto charts. NIPI has also mentored the nursing staff in clinical skills and inventory management. After NIPIs support all facilities has started the Patient Satisfaction Score calculation and reporting of outcome indicators.

Out of seven, three facilities (Civil Hospital Narsinghgarh, DH Singaurali & Civil hospital Biora) has been assessed for state certification in the month of Feb- March 2021.  All the 3 facilities got more than 70% score and got the state certification and recommended for National assessment. NIPI facilitated the virtual LaQshya assessment of all 3 facilities by National team in March 2021. Final result of assessment is awaited.