Rajasthan Chief Secretary V. Srinivas on Tuesday, 21 July chaired a high-level review meeting at Swasthya Bhawan, Jaipur, directing health officials to strengthen digital monitoring and referral management for high-risk pregnancies across the state. The meeting, conducted via video conference, marks a significant push to reduce maternal health risks through real-time technology-driven oversight.

Key Directives from the Review

Srinivas sought live updates from officials and frontline health workers on high-risk pregnant women and all Caesarean deliveries performed in government hospitals over the preceding 24 hours. Officials confirmed that all high-risk deliveries during that period were successful. He directed the Medical and Health Department and frontline workers to maintain continuous monitoring of every expectant mother admitted to government facilities.

The Chief Secretary also held direct interactions with Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) from Jaipur, Churu, and Jhunjhunu, instructing them to ensure regular follow-ups, track expected delivery dates closely, facilitate timely medical consultations, and arrange prompt referrals whenever required.

New Integrated Digital Platform in the Works

A central outcome of the meeting was the directive to develop a state-wide integrated digital platform modelled on the 'Setu Digital Emergency Healthcare Software' built by RNT Medical College. Srinivas instructed the Medical and Health Department to build this system in collaboration with the Department of Information Technology.

The proposed platform will be accessible to ANMs, Community Health Officers (CHOs), and other field health workers, enabling real-time tracking and streamlined referral management for pregnant women across Rajasthan. This comes amid growing recognition that digital gaps in maternal health monitoring have contributed to preventable adverse outcomes in rural and semi-urban areas.

Hospital Inventory and Protocol Reforms

The review also covered medicine availability, medical equipment, and hospital inventory management under the Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation Limited (RMSCL). Srinivas directed officials to develop standardised protocols for microbiology services and issue a Record of Procedure (ROP) to ensure uniformity and quality across government healthcare institutions.

State-Level Maternity Control Room Proposed

Emphasising the need for centralised oversight, the Chief Secretary called for the establishment of a dedicated state-level control room for safe motherhood services. The facility is intended to enable continuous monitoring of pregnant women and new mothers while supporting faster emergency decision-making.

Principal Secretary (Medical and Health) Gayatri Rathore reinforced the urgency, instructing officials to implement the digital monitoring system without delay. She also stressed the continuation of daily video conference reviews from the state level to field units, along with regular compilation, analysis, and monitoring of health data for every pregnant woman and new mother in the system.

With the digital platform still in development and the control room yet to be established, the coming weeks will be critical in determining how swiftly Rajasthan can translate these directives into on-ground improvements in maternal care.