Jammu and Kashmir’s first Maternal and Child Health Conclave at SKICC in Srinagar is a major development on healthcare front.
Since the maternal and child health is of high importance; the focus in India is leading to efforts for further improvement in this direction.
These efforts are proving fruitful, which is evident from the results.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated the conclave on Monday. He said the conclave will provide a unique platform to deliberate upon challenges, opportunities and newer initiatives in Maternal and Child healthcare.
The conclave is being held amid the encouraging news that J&K has registered significant decline in the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR). The Lieutenant Governor said his administration is planning to further decrease the Maternal and Child mortality.
According to Sample Registration System (SRS)-2020 report, released by Registrar General of India last month, the IMR in J&K has decreased from 20 to 17 in a single year and it is much better than the national average of 28 .
The IMR shows number of deaths of children up to one year of age per one thousand live births. A survey from 2021 reveals that J&K has the second lowest maternal and child mortality ratio in India.
The Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) is 46, which is lower than any other state in India.
Officials said decrease in IMR is due to certain important steps taken in the health sector. According to them, the National Health Mission, with the support of Health and Medical Education Department, has taken measures to provide essential neonatal care at government health institutions across J&K. An action plan devised for the purpose is being implemented.
The measures include upgradation of Newborn Care Units, Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan, Skilled Birth Attendance, and universalisation of essential newborn care.
Special New-born Care Units have also been established in dozens of district and other equivalent hospitals, Neonatal Intensive Care Units set up in Government Medical Colleges, New-born Stabilisation Units created in Community Health Centres and New Born Care Corners in several delivery points with financial and technical support from National Health Mission.