After the victory over polio, India has achieved another major public health feat by eliminating maternal and neonatal tetanus. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the validation from the World Health Organisation (WHO) for this has happened much before the global target date of December 2015.
According to the WHO, maternal and neonatal tetanus has been reduced to less than one case per 1,000 live births in all 675 districts of the country. The WHO has validated this achievement adding India to the list of countries that have successfully battled this killer disease.
India would reach close to achieving the millennium development goal of reducing under-five mortality rate, Modi said after inaugurating the Call to Action Summit 2015 - an initiative to reduce child and maternal deaths across the world.
Over 600 delegates from across the world are attending the two-day summit to discuss initiatives to reduce maternal and child mortality rate.
Noting that 184 poorest performing districts of the country have been identified for focussed attention in terms of healthcare, involving infusion of resources and conduct of specific programmes, Modi said that India needs to institutionalise a system where marginalised communities receive universal healthcare and financial protection as “unfortunate health espisodes” are making people financially weak.
“One of our major concerns is equity. As a step towards ensuring equitable health services across regions that suffer from intra-state disparities, and to bring about sharper improvements in health outcomes, a total of 184 poorest performing districts all over the country have been identified.
“Special efforts are being made to put in more resources and focussed programmes in these areas,” he told the summit being attended by representatives of 24 nations.
The Prime Minister said programmes like the National Health Mission have resulted in improved health outcomes and Janani Suraksha Yojana has ensured that 75 per cent of the deliveries take place in healthcare centres.
Extending India’s support to all the 24 participating countries in the summit including the SAARC nations, he said India’s “rich” experience in universal immunisation including ‘mission indradhanush’ could be shared with them.
“India stands committed to not only allocate resources towards this in our country, but also to help the world and all those countries which needed any support. It is my personal vision and my government’s firm commitment,” he said.