To reduce infant mortality rate and neonatal mortality rate in the state, Haryana Government has chalked out Haryana Newborn Action Plan (HNAP) to further expand the facility based regional sick newborn care units and improve newborn stabilization units in the state.

The HNAP was launched by Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on Wednesday in Panchkula.

As per the Sample Registration Report 2016 released by the Central Government in September, Haryana has recorded 33 IMR, witnessing a decline of three points, from 2015 report in which IMR was 36.

According to the HNIP prepared by the Health Department, though the IMR has decreased significantly over the last decade, same progress is not observed in reduction of neonatal mortality rates (NMR).

Average Annual Reduction (AAR) rates of Haryana’s Neonatal mortality Rate (NMR) was just 1.2 percent. During 2011 to 2015, AAR rate of NMR was 7.5 percent.

The neonatal mortality and early neonatal mortality rate in Haryana was 26 per thousand live births and 19 per thousand live birth respectively, according to a previous report.

The HNIP has proposed implementation of district new born action plan by acting identified actionable points, regular review at district level with participation from labour room staff, pediatricians, obstetricians and program managers.

It has also laid emphasis on identifying areas where support from state is required. Besides, centralized monitoring of HNAP with regular review meetings and supportive supervision visits in the districts, regular support of districts during implementation by state teams is proposed in the action plan to reduce preventable newborn deaths in the state. Apart from this, the State Government has also planned expansion of facility based newborn care (FBNC)- regional SNUCs (Sick Newborn Care Units) and improve better NBSUs (Newborn Stabilization Units)  in Haryana.

The HNIP will be carried out in collaboration with all stakeholders which included civil society, development partners and professional associations among others.

All districts have already prepared their district newborn action plan (DNAP) and submitted to National Health Mission, Haryana.

The government would also seek guidance from technical partners and academic institutions to achieve its desired goals including achieving “single digit NMR” and “single digit SBR” by 2025 with all districts to individually achieve this target by 2030As per the officials, a majority (nearly 65 percent) of deaths during the first year of child life is contributed by neonatal (first month) mortality.

To reduce IMR and NMR, the State Government is also working towards assuring quality of services at delivery points, skilled birth attendants, identification of complications and timely referrals for both mother and baby, establishment of SNCUs in all districts, capacity building of staff, establishment of KMC units, preconception care, follow up of high risk pregnancy, implementation of PMSMA and Mission Indradhanush in the state. To further reduce IMR, SBR and MMR, Haryana Government is also implementing care around birth (CAB) strategy with technical support from USAID-Vriddhi Project in 5 high priority districts (HPDs) which will also be scaled up in 6 more districts in the state.

As per an internal survey of the Health Department, the provisional estimate of Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) in Haryana was 106 per one lakh live births for the period April 2014 to January 2016.