The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) report -2013 released by the United Nations has presented data on progress made towards the Millennium Development Goals and targets for the world as a whole and for sub-regions, each sub-region comprising of a group of countries. Separate data to indicate India™s progress on Maternal Mortality Ratio and Infant Mortality Rate are not available in this report.
However, as per the official estimates of Registrar General of India (RGI-SRS) Sample Registration System (SRS), Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has declined from 301 per 100,000 live births in 2001-03 to 212 per 100,000 live births in 2007-09 and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) has declined from 66 per 1000 live births in 2001 to 44 per 1000 live births in 2011.
The key steps taken to accelerate the pace of reduction of Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) towards achieving the MDG Goals -2015 are:
¢ Promotion of institutional deliveries through Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY).
¢ Operationalization of sub-centres, Primary Health Centers, Community Health Centres and District Hospitals for providing 24×7 basic and comprehensive obstetric care, neonatal, infant and child care services.
¢ Capacity building of health care providers in basic and comprehensive obstetric care, Integrated Management of Neo-natal and Childhood Illness (IMNCI) and Navjaat Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (NSSK) etc.
¢ Mother and Child Protection Card in collaboration with the Ministry of Women and Child Development to monitor service delivery for mothers and children.
¢ Name based web enabled tracking of pregnant women & children has been introduced to ensure optimal antenatal, intra-natal and postnatal care to pregnant women and care to newborns, infants and children.
¢ Identifying the severely anaemic cases among pregnant women at sub centres and PHCs for their timely management
¢ Antenatal, Intra-natal and Postnatal care including Iron and Folic Acid supplementation to pregnant, lactating women and Iron and Folic Acid supplementation to children and adolescents for prevention and treatment of anaemia.
¢ To tackle the problem of anaemia due to malaria particularly in pregnant women and children, Long Lasting Insecticide Nets (LLINs) and Insecticide Treated Bed Nets (ITBNs) are being distributed in endemic areas.
¢ Management of Malnutrition particularly Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) by establishing Nutritional Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs).
¢ Exclusive breastfeeding for first six months and appropriate infant and young child feeding practices are being promoted in convergence with Ministry of Woman and Child Development.
¢ Strengthening of Facility based newborn care by setting up Newborn care corners (NBCC) in all health facilities where deliveries take place; Special New Born Care Units (SNCUs) at District Hospitals and New Born Stabilization Units (NBSUs) at First Referral Units for the care of sick newborn.
¢ Engagement of 8.92 lakhs Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) to generate demand and facilitate accessing of health care services by the community.
¢ Home Based Newborn Care (HBNC) has been initiated through ASHA to improve new born care practices at the community level and for early detection and referral of sick new born babies.
¢ Village Health and Nutrition Days in rural areas as an outreach activity, for provision of maternal and child health services and creating awareness on maternal and child care including health and nutrition education.
¢ Universal Immunization Program (UIP) against seven diseases for all children. Government of India supports the vaccine program by supply of vaccines and syringes, cold chain equipments and provision of operational costs.
¢ Vitamin A supplementation for children aged 6 months to 5 years.
¢ Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK) has been launched on 1st June, 2011, to eliminate any out of pocket expense for pregnant women delivering in public health institutions and sick newborns and infants accessing public health institutions for treatment.
This information was given by the Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.
