JANANI initiative marks major reform in India’s maternal and child healthcare system

BN News

New Delhi, May 07: The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched JANANI (Journey of Antenatal, Natal and Neonatal Integrated Care), a comprehensive digital platform aimed at strengthening maternal and child healthcare services across India. The initiative was unveiled during the National Summit on Innovation and Inclusivity – Best Practices Shaping India’s Health Future.

JANANI is a service-oriented digital platform developed to monitor and maintain the digital health records of women during their reproductive years. Introduced as an upgraded version of the existing Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) portal, the platform creates a continuous longitudinal health record by capturing critical healthcare services delivered across every stage of maternal and child care.

The platform enables seamless tracking of antenatal care, delivery preparedness, institutional delivery, postnatal care, newborn care, home-based newborn and young child care, as well as family planning services. By facilitating real-time monitoring and timely interventions, JANANI seeks to ensure continuity of care and improve healthcare outcomes for mothers and children.

One of the major features of JANANI is the introduction of QR-enabled digital Mother and Child Health (MCH) Cards, which allow easy portability and access to health records. The platform also includes automated alerts for high-risk pregnancies, real-time supervisory dashboards, and due-list generation systems to support timely monitoring and targeted healthcare interventions.

JANANI has been designed with interoperability features that enable integration with national platforms such as U-WIN and POSHAN. This integration supports seamless data exchange and coordinated service delivery across multiple health and nutrition programmes.

The platform allows beneficiary registration through unique identifiers including ABHA, Aadhaar-based OTP and biometric verification, as well as mobile numbers. It also offers pan-India search functionality to support continuity of care for migratory populations while preventing duplication of records. Additionally, beneficiaries can self-register through web and mobile platforms, encouraging greater participation in their healthcare journey.

JANANI further supports citizens through timely scheduling and monitoring of antenatal visits and immunization services. The system sends alerts and reminders to ensure that critical health milestones are not missed. It also provides access to digital MCH cards, information about nearby healthcare facilities, expected place of delivery, health education, and nutritional guidance.

The platform represents a significant structural reform in maternal and child healthcare administration by integrating digital authentication, real-time monitoring, and inter-sectoral coordination. The initiative is expected to improve service coverage, strengthen accountability, and contribute to long-term reductions in maternal and child mortality rates.

According to the Ministry, JANANI has already recorded significant progress, with 1.34 crore beneficiary registrations, over 30 lakh pregnant women registrations, more than 30 lakh MCH cards generated, and over one lakh biometric verifications completed so far.

The launch of JANANI reflects the Government of India’s continued commitment to accessible, equitable, technology-driven, and quality healthcare services for women and children across the country.