LaQshya – Labour Room Quality Improvement Initiative
To further accelerate decline in MMR in the coming years, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) launched LaQshya – Labour Room Quality Improvement Initiative. The programme is a focused and targeted approach to strengthen key processes related to care around delivery in Labour Rooms and Maternity OTs while ensuring Respectful Maternity Care.
The LaQshya Programme is being implemented in 191 facilities by following the LaQshya-NQAS guidelines. All facilities under the programme are expected to achieve National Certification to improve quality of care and reduce preventable maternal morbidity and mortality.
Nationally Certified Facilities
LaQshya Goals & Objectives
Maternal & Newborn Survival
Reduce preventable maternal and newborn mortality, morbidity and stillbirths.
Quality Care
Improve quality of care during delivery and immediate post-partum care.
Beneficiary Satisfaction
Enhance satisfaction of beneficiaries.
LaQshya Interventions
LaQshya Certification Criteria
| Criterion | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Criterion I | Overall Score > 70% |
| Criterion II | Score in Each Area of Concern > 70% |
| Criterion III | Score in Three Core Standards > 70% |
| Criterion IV | Score in Each Applicable Quality Standard > 50% |
| Criterion V | Satisfaction > 80% |
Core Standards
Standard B3
The facility maintains privacy, confidentiality and dignity of patients, and has a system for safeguarding patient-related information.
Standard E18
The facility has established procedures for intra-natal care as per guidelines.
Standard E19
The facility has established procedures for post-natal care as per guidelines.
LaQshya Certifications in Tamil Nadu (Till June 2026)
Medical College Hospitals
District Headquarters Hospitals
Sub District Hospitals
Community Health Centres
Incentivisation
Medical Colleges
Rs. 6 Lakhs for each Labour Room and OT Department.
District Hospitals
Rs. 3 Lakhs for each Labour Room and OT Department.
SDH / CHCs
Rs. 2 Lakhs for each Labour Room and OT Department.
Branding & Recognition
More than 90% Score
More than 80% Score
More than 70% Score
These name boards are displayed at centres that have achieved LaQshya National Certification, serving as a branding and recognition tool and as a constant reminder of the commitment to assured quality maternal and newborn care services.
Documentation Simplification Initiative
To enhance quality improvement and comply with LaQshya standards, Tamil Nadu streamlined documentation practices in Labour Rooms and Maternity OTs. Originally, 120 registers were maintained in Labour Rooms and 100 in Maternity OTs, creating a significant documentation burden on healthcare staff.
Labour Room Registers
Maternity OT Registers
The registers were consolidated and standardized, ensuring regulatory compliance while significantly reducing unnecessary documentation. This resulted in increased time for patient care, audit-ready documentation, improved staff satisfaction and stronger ownership of quality processes.
Impact of LaQshya in Maternal Health
This provides evidence that quality certification of delivery points under LaQshya contributes to a reduction in maternal deaths and improvement in the quality of maternal care.
Future Directions & Sustainability
Long-Term Maternal Health Goals
Achieving universal access to respectful, safe and quality maternal health services while reducing inequities in service delivery.
Community Engagement
Building trust, increasing awareness and promoting active involvement of trained birth companions.
Skill Development
Regular competency-based training and skill upgradation of healthcare providers.
Continuous Medical Education
Programmes to update healthcare providers on current guidelines and best practices.
Monitoring & Evaluation
Systematic monitoring of KPIs, and Client Satisfaction Scores.
Outcome Tracking
Regular analysis of service delivery outcomes and impact indicators.
Feedback Mechanisms
Robust grievance redressal and beneficiary feedback systems for continuous quality improvement.