Grappling with high infant mortality rate (IMR), the Haryana Government would soon launch a ‘newborn care’ programme across 21 districts of the State. Haryana, which has shameful record of newborn survival, will come up with a newborn action plan to be implemented across the State. The IMR in Haryana stood at 41 in 2013, exceeding the national average of 40. IMR is defined as the number of infants’ death (mortality within one year of birth) per thousand live births.
The latest reports with the Haryana Government claims that IMR has reduced to 36, albeit, the State has a long way to go towards achieving its target to reduce it to 27. The neonatal mortality is one of the major contributors to the infant mortality. According to the State Government, the neonatal mortality and early neonatal mortality rate in Haryana is 26 per thousand live births and 19 per thousand live birth respectively, two points below the national average of 28 and 21 per thousand live birth.
A majority (nearly 65 per cent) of deaths during the first year of child life is contributed by neonatal (first month) mortality. The districts namely Mewat, Karnal, Panipat, Bhiwani and Kaithal have high IMR. At present, improving sanitation, providing access to better healthcare facilities and ensuring immunisation against infectious diseases remain the priority of the State Government to reduce IMR in Haryana.
As a part of series of initiatives to be undertaken to improve child health services and reduce neonatal, infant and child mortality, the State Government would chalk out ‘Haryana newborn action plan (HNAP)’. To prepare HNAP, Haryana Health Department organised a two-day State level workshop starting Monday which was attended by civil surgeons and district child health officers from all the 21 districts of Haryana.
Principal medical officers/medical superintendent, district maternal health officers, paediatrician and gynaecologists, experts from Government of India, World Health Organisation, US agency for International development (USAID) among others also attended the workshop to assist in preparing a roadmap for ‘HNAP’. After the workshop concluded, all chief medical officers and team of paediatricians and gyanaecologists have been asked prepare a district specific action plans. They will also identify gaps in services including manpower, equipments, medicines and skill for each facility of district and would rectify the same in next couple of months.
The Health Department has decided to undertake an extensive monitoring of these activities and special focus will be given to high priority districts. At the workshop, Haryana Additional Chief Secretary, Health and AYUSH, Ram Niwas said that Haryana Newborn Action Plan will be prepared with the help of expertise drawn from distinguish members in consultation with the district level officers and will help in reducing the infant deaths due to preventable cause.
Notably, Haryana has become the first State in the country to launch Mission Indradhanush in the entire State. Under this universal immunisation programme, vaccines were given to the children upto two years of age and to pregnant women for protection against nine vaccine preventable diseases. A special song has been prepared by the State Government to apprise about the schedule of vaccinations to be given to the children with an aim to reduce IMR. Haryana Government has also set up 22 Sick Newborn Care Units (SNCUs) in various parts of the state. last year, the State Government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with National Neonatology Forum for training of doctors and staff nurses working in SNCU, the facility based newborn care.