Haryana has become first State in the country to launch a unique project known as ‘Salamati’ to maintain a healthy balance between the births of children by using injectable contraceptive.
The project was launched by Chief Minister Manohar lal here, who said by introducing another option among the family planning measures in the form of injectable contraceptive at Government health institutions, Haryana has achieved a major milestone at the national level. This facility would be available at all Primary Health Centres, Community Health Centres, Sub Divisional and District Hospitals free of cost, he added.
The Chief Minister said the ‘Project Salamati’ which is being implemented by the Haryana Health Department with the assistance of Pathfinder International, is initially being implemented in nine health blocks of four districts of the State. These included four health blocks in district Palwal, three in Mewat, Kurali block in Faridabad and Khor block in district Rewari. These districts have been chosen as a pilot project, as Mother and Infant Mortality rate in these districts are more as compared to other districts. After the success of this project in these districts, it would be implemented throughout the State.
Manohar lal said the State Government is committed to provide economical and qualitative health services to the people of the State. An outlay of Rs 3916.94 crore has been earmarked for Health and Family Welfare in the year 2016-17 as compared to Rs 2857.28 crore in the year 2015-16, thus showing an increase of 37.1 per cent.
He said that it is the highest priority to bring down the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR). Taking a step further in this direction, he said that the Government has given a new direction to the family planning programme through ‘Project Salamati’.
As a result of steps taken by the present State Government for population control, the Total Fertility Rate has come down to 2.1 per cent besides registering a significant decrease in Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), he informed.
The Chief Minister said that each country has different circumstances. While referring to ‘China’, he said that the country has also changed its family planning policy as per its circumstances. Therefore, we should also maintain a healthy balance of population by adopting various available measures of family planning otherwise India would surpass China by the year 2030. Our population is an asset for us and we should ensure its best utilisation, he added.
While referring to the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao programme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at national level from Panipat, he said that the programme is bearing fruitful results as the sex ratio in the State has improved significantly.
Under this programme, the State Government has ensured the strict implementation of Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act and added that a large number of ultra sound machines have been seized for violating the provision of the above said Act. As a result of these, the sex ratio at birth has increased to more than 903 per 1000 boys for which Haryana is being appreciated throughout the country.
Earlier, the Chief Minister released the training and Information Education and Communication (IEC) material related to ‘Project Salamati’.
Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij said that injectable contraceptive would offer choices in family planning measures. He said that he would also request the Central Government to get this injectable contraceptive included in the list of essential medicines so that it would be easily available to the people free of cost.
Vij said that training of ASHA workers, anganwadi workers and employees of the Health Department would also be got conducted for the effective implementation of this project.
He said that as the IMR largely depends on delivery, efforts were being made to achieve the target of 100 per cent institutional deliveries in the state which is 80 per cent at present.
The Minister said that the Government has already started the process for getting 84 Government Hospitals accredited through National Accreditation Board of Hospitals (NABH).