Maternity allowance to be rolled out within a year

Responding to the question on the status of the Government’s pledge of maternity allowance, the Health Minister reported that the required plans and preparations for rolling out the Maternity allowance is almost completed and it will be rolled out within a year.

The Minister informed the House that the “Accelerating Mother and Child” Health Program will facilitate mothers who are not entitled to paid maternity leave to benefit from the government’s health services for 1000 days. 

The cabinet on 6th January 2020 had approved Nu 1.8 bn for ‘Accelerated Mother and Child Healthcare Allowance,’ for the next five years.

However, given that the government has only around three years and nine months left the cost during the current government’s tenure could be from Nu 1.5 bn to Nu 1.3 bn.

Lyonchhen had said that the new package is not just for 6 months of breast feeding but it goes up to the first 1,000 golden days of a child’s life. It also included the private sector apart from rural people. After that it had gone silent until now.

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