Lok Sabha Question No. 3605 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-16
Subject: UNICEF Report on Child Deaths
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: FEROZE VARUN GANDHI, VASANTHI M., C. N. JAYADEVAN, JYOTIRADITYA MADHAVRAO SCINDIA, SUSHMITA DEV, RAMACHANDRAN MULLAPPALLY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3605 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16 TH MARCH, 2018

## UNICEF REPORT ON CHI LD DEATHS

## 3605. SHRI FEROZE VARUN GANDHI:

SHRIMATI VASANTHI M.:

SHRI C.N. JAYADEVAN:

SHRI JYOTIRADITYA M. SCINDIA:

KUMARI SUSHMITA DEV:

SHRI MULLAPPALLY RAMACHANDRAN:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether as per the new UNICEF report, India has ranked as the 12th worst country for a child to be born from among 52 lower middle income nations based on number of children who die in the first month of birth and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  has  come up  with  a  mechanism  to  ensure  fool - proof implementation of all the schemes and policies for reduction of such deaths;
- (c) if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL )

- (a): As per 'Every Child Alive -The urgent need to end new -born deaths' published by UNICEF in 2018,India ranks 12 th in the 52 low middle income countries of the world on the basis of new - born mortality. However, as per Sample Registration System, 2016 report of Registrar General of India, The Neo - natal Mortality Rate (NMR) for India is 24 per 1000 live births.
- (b)to (d): Health is a state subject, however to reduce NMR various prog ammes and schemesunder National Health Mission being  implemented by States/ UTs are as follows:
- (1)Promotion  of  Institutional  deliveries  through  cash  incentive  under  Janani Suraksha Yojana  (JSY)  and  Janani Shishu SurakshaKaryakaram  (JSSK)  which  entitles  all pregnant women delivering in public health i nstitut ons to absolutely free ante - natal check - ups, delivery including Caesarean section, post - natal care and treatment of sick infants till one year of age.
- (2)Strengthening of delivery points for providing comprehensive and qualit Reproductive,  Maternal,  Newborn,  Child  and  Adolescent  Health  (RMNCH+A) Services,  ensuring  essential  newborn  care  at  all  delivery  points,  establishm Special  Newborn  Care  Units  (S NCU),  Newborn  Stabilization  Units  (NBSU)  and Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) units for care of sick and small babies. Home Based Newborn  Care  (HBNC)  is  being  provided  by  ASHAs  to  improve  child  rearing practices.  India  Newborn  Action  Plan  (INAP)  was  launched  in 2014 to  make concerted efforts towards attainment of the goals of 'Single Digit Neonatal Mortality Rate' and 'Single Digit Stillbirth Rate', by 2030.
- (3)Early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding for first six months and appropriat and  Young  ChildFeeding  (IYCF)  practices  are  promoted  in  convergence  with Ministry  of  Women  and  Child  Development.  Village  Health  and  Nutrition  Days (VHNDs)  are  observed  for  provision  of  maternal  and  child  health services  and creating  awareness  on  maternal  and  child  care including  health  and  nutrition education. Mothers' Absolute Affection (MAA) programme for improving breastfeeding practices (Initial Breastfeeding within one hour, Exclus Breastfeeding up to six months and complementary feeding up to two years) throu mass  media  campaigns  and  capacity  building  of  health  care  providers  in  heal facilities as well as in communities.
- (4)Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) is being supported to provide vaccination to children against many life threatening diseases such a s Tuberculosis, Diphtheria, Pertussis,  Polio,  Tetanus,  Hepatitis  B  and  Measles.  'Mission  Indradhanush  and Intensified Mission Indradhanush' was launched to fully immunize children who are either unvaccinated or partially vaccinated; those that have not bee n co red during the rounds of routine immunization for various reasons. Measles Rubella Campaign being undertaken in select States for children from 9 months to 15 years of age the aim of eliminating Measles by 2020.
- (5)Name based tracking of mother s and children till two years of age (Mother and Child Tracking System) is done to ensure complete antenatal, intranatal, postnatal car complete immunization as per schedule.
- (6)Iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation for the prevention of anaemia amo ng the vulnerable age groups, home visits by ASHAs to promote exclusive breast feedin and promote use of ORS and Zinc for management of diarrhoea in children.
- (7)Health  and  nutrition  education  through  Information,  Education  &  Communication (IEC) and Behavio ur Change Communication (BCC) to promote healthy practices and create awareness to generate demand and improve service uptake.
- (8)Capacity building of health care providers: Various trainings are being conduct build  and  upgrade  the  skills  of  health  care providers  in  basic  and  comprehensive obstetric care of mother during pregnancy, delivery and essential new - born care.