<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; color: #222222; line-height: 22px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">In Bihar, the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) is evoking a good response as women are becoming more aware of their health during pregnancy. </span></p>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; color: #222222; line-height: 22px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br />''</span></p>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; color: #222222; line-height: 22px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Launched in 2016, the program aims to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates through safe pregnancies and safe deliveries. The PMSMA ensures assured, comprehensive and quality antenatal care, free of cost, universally to all pregnant women on the 9th of every month. </span></p>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; color: #222222; line-height: 22px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br />''</span></p>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; color: #222222; line-height: 22px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Safe pregnancy is now becoming a social movement with the program successfully reaching remote areas. AIR correspondent reports that d</span><b style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">ue to the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan, pregnant women from weaker sections are now more convinced about the importance of vaccination, regular prenatal tests and value of health supplements. </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">             </span></b></p>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; color: #222222; line-height: 22px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;"><b><i><u><br />''</u></i></b></span></p>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; color: #222222; line-height: 22px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;">The sensitization drive launched under the Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan encouraging more and more families especially the poor to avail medical facilities being provided for pregnant women. Reducing maternal and infant mortality rates are primary objectives of the Central government and the initiative is a big step in this direction.</span></p>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; color: #222222; line-height: 22px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: calibri, sans-serif;"><br />''</p>