Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 1: The latest Sample Registration Survey has revealed that the Infant Mortality Rate (number of deaths of children under one year of age per 1000 live births) in the State has declined from 37 to 34 which is far better than the national average of 39.
The State has been ranked 8thamongst 21 bigger States of Country in achieving decline in Infant Mortality Rate.
Mission Director, NHM under the guidance of Bali Bhagat, Minister for Health and Medical Education, Asiea Naqash, Minister of State for Health and Medical Education and Dr. M.K. Bhandari, Commissioner/ Secretary, Health & Medical Education Department, J&Khave accelerated the progress in scaling up the interventions that save the lives of the new borns and gives every child the best possible start in the life.
As a result of these interventions, the State has been able to achieve another milestone after eliminating Tetanus neonatorum.
The IMR is an important health indicator which shows number of deaths of children up to one year of age per 1000 live births.With a view to reduce IMR in the State, Mission Director, NHM Dr Mohan Singh has made vigorous efforts to provide essential neonatal care in Government health institutions.
Special New-born Care Units (SNCUs) have been established in 21 district/other equivalent Hospitals, New Born Stabilization Units (NBSUs) in 76 CHCs Level and New Born Corners (NBCCs) in 281 delivery pointswith financial and technical support from National Health Mission.
Each Special New Born Care Unit has been provided dedicated staff viz.one Pediatrician, four MBBS doctors, five staff nurses, one lab technician and one data entry operator for its smooth functioning. Tertiary care hospitals of State viz; GMC Jammu/ Srinagar & SKIMS have been provided funds for strengthening of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICUs) in terms of infrastructure, manpower etc.
Apart from this, ASHAs have also been involved in providing home based new-born care services like weighing the newborn, measuring newborn temperature, ensuring warmth, supporting exclusive breastfeeding, diagnosing and counselling in case of problems with breast feeding, promoting hand washing, providing skin/cord and eye care, health promotion and counselling of mothers and families on key messages on newborn care, ensuring prompt identificationof sepsis or other illnesses.
ASHA has to pay 6 home visits in case of institutional deliveries and 7 in case of home deliveries till 42 days from birth of the child.
Another initiative viz. Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) under National Health Mission facilitates free medical treatment for pregnant women and infants in any Government. health institution which includes free drugs & consumables, transport, diagnostics without any user charges. Also to promote institutional deliveries for quality care of both mother and child, Janani Suraksha Yojna (JSY), a cash transfer scheme, is being implemented in the State. Both these initiatives have contributed to the increase in institutional deliveries and corresponding decline in early neonatal mortality.
The Health and Medical Education Department with support from National Health Mission have constituted Mobile Health Teams comprising of two Doctors (one male and one female) and two Paramedics under Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK).
Each Block has been provided two such teams with an objective to screen children from upto 18 years of age in schools and Anganwadi centres, for detection of 4 Ds- Defects at birth, Diseases, Deficiencies and Developmental Delays including Disabilities.
The children diagnosed during preliminary screening by the teams are referred to the District Hospitals for further investigations. Children who are diagnosed with 30 identified health conditions are provided free treatment in the District Hospitals.
Out of 30 health conditions, 13 conditions have been identified which require surgical interventions at secondary/ tertiary level within / outside the State and the children suffering from these diseases are provided financial assistance for treatment/ surgical intervention at District Hospitals, Govt. Medical Colleges of the State, SKIMS Soura, AIIMS New Delhi and PGI Chandigarh.
308 children have been provided financial assistance, during the financial year 2015-16, amounting to Rs.227.63 lakhs for undergoing surgical interventions within and outside the State.
Follow our WhatsApp channel