Vijayawada: As part of efforts to significantly reduce maternal and infant mortality, the health and family welfare department is providing regular guidance and advisories to pregnant women and new mothers through the ‘Kilkaari” (smile) programme using an Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS).

In a statement on Friday, commissioner of health and family welfare G Veerapandian said under the programme, an average of 2.5 lakh pregnant women receive IVRS voice calls every year. Each call, lasting at least four minutes, provides information on maternal and child healthcare, nutrition, the importance of immunisation, family planning and related issues. The Kilkaari initiative is being implemented by the Union government at the national level in 13 languages, including Telugu.

Veerapandian said that once the details of a pregnant woman, including her mobile number, are registered by the Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) on the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) portal of the National Health Mission, IVRS calls are automatically triggered to her phone.

Recently, the Union ministry of health and family welfare made certain technical changes to the programme, including changing the phone numbers used for Kilkaari calls and reducing the frequency of IVRS calls. However, the content has been retained and made more concise and direct, without altering its core messaging.

Health minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav instructed senior officials and district medical and health officers to create wider public awareness about the Kilkaari programme, which aims to ensure comprehensive healthcare for pregnant women and newborns.

State programme coordinator Dr Sirisha said that earlier, pregnant women used to receive weekly IVRS calls from the fourth month of pregnancy until delivery. Under the revised system, calls are now made once a month. The main calling number has been changed from 0124451660 to 1600403660. The Kilkaari re-dial numbers have also been updated to 14423 and 18001321255.

From the time of conception until delivery, and thereafter until the child completes one year of age, women receive a monthly audio call with information on healthcare, nutrition, immunisation, family planning and awareness on preventing maternal and infant deaths. If a call is missed, beneficiaries can listen to the message by using the re-dial facility.

Pregnant women are registered on the RCH portal after verification by ASHA workers or ANMs, following which they receive monthly audio messages on their registered mobile numbers. ANMs also ensure that the Kilkaari numbers are saved on beneficiaries’ phones. If calls go unanswered continuously for six months, the service is automatically disconnected.

Officials said ASHA workers are also being trained through the Mobile Academy platform, which offers a four-hour digital training course on best practices in daily field work, including awareness on the Kilkaari programme. Of the 42,000 ASHA workers targeted, around 41,000 have already completed the training, officials added.