Punjab Government has bagged two national awards — one for safe deliveries and another for reducing Infant Mortality Rate (IMR).Punjab’s IMR has declined by 18 points — from 44 in 2005 to 26 in 2013 (as per SRS data). Neo-natal mortality rate, death of infants within one month of birth, has also come down by 12 points from 28 in 2008 to 16 in 2013.The State has also recorded a landmark increase in institutional deliveries from 63.3 percent in 2007-08 to 82.7 per cent in 2012-13 as per DlHS data.
Institutional deliveries in state’s government health institutions have increased five times — from 44,000 in 2008 to above two lakh in 2013. Presently, institutional delivery in government hospitals is more than that of the private sector.The state was given the two awards during the National Summit on Good and Replicable Practices and Innovations in Public Health Systems in India held at Shimla from July 2 to 4.
The awards were received by the state Health secretary-cum-National Health Mission’s mission director Hussan lal during the summit. lal attributed these awards to the hard work by the department under the able guidance and leadership of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Health Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani and Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Vini Mahajan.