Lok Sabha Question No. 5565 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-26
Subject: Death of Infants
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Pushpendra Singh Chandel

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5565 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26 TH JULY, 2019

## DEATH OF INFANTS

## 5565. SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL:

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

- (a) whether the Government has taken cognizance of the death of infants due to negligen various hospitals in the country;
- (b) if so, the details of the efforts made by the Governm ent to reduce the infant deaths in the country, State/UT - wise;
- (c) whether the Government has taken special initiative to bring down the infant mortalit Bundelkhand; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) to (d):Whenever any cluster deaths of infants are reported, Government takes cognizan of the same .Any media reports on incident of cluster deaths of newborn and infant deaths at public health facilities is also given highest priority and is evaluated immediately by C State teams and the findings/ recommendations are disseminated to the concerned state for appropriate action.

A le tter from Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) regarding improving the quality of newborn and infant care has been sent to all the States/ UTs urging them to need based proposal for augmenting infrastructure, capacity building, equipment m aintenanc and ensure uninterrupted supply of essential medicines.

National  Quality  Assurance  Standards  (NQAS)  have  been  developed  to  improve  the quality of care at Public Health Facilities. For improving quality of care during intra - partum and immediate post - partum  period,  Government  of  India  is  implementing  LaQshya  initiative  fo strengthening labour room and operation theatre in public health facilities with high case

Contd…..

Public Health is a state subject, however to reduce infant morta l ty and improve child survival, various programmes and schemes under National Health Mission being implemente by States/ UTs including all regions of Uttar Pradesh, are as follows:

- (1) Promotion  of  Institutional  deliveries  through  cash  incentive  under  Janani Suraksha Yojana  (JSY)  and  Janani  Shishu  Suraksha  Karyakaram  (JSSK)  which  entitles  all pregnant women (PW) delivering in public health institutions 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 quality Reproduct Maternal,  Newborn,  Child  and  Adolescent  Health  (RMNCH+A)  Services,  ensuring essential  newborn  care  at  all  delivery  points,  establishment  of  Special  Newborn Units (S NCU), Newborn Stabilization Units (NBSU) and Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) units for care of sick and small babies. India Newborn Action Plan (INAP) was launc in  2014  to  make  concerted  efforts  towards  attainment  of  the  goals  of  'Single  Digit Neonatal  Morta lity  Rate'  and  'Single  Digit  Stillbirth  Rate',  by  2030.Comprehensive Lactation  Management  Centres  (CLMCs)  at  facilities  with  SNCU  and  Lactation Management  Units  (LMUs)  at  Sub - district  level  are  made  functional  to  ensure availability of Human  Milk for feedi ng small new - borns.  Home  Based  Newborn  Care (HBNC)  and  Home  Based  Care  of  Young  Children  (HBYC)  are  being  provided  by ASHAs to improve child rearing practices.
- (3) Early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding for first six months and appropriate and Young Child Feeding (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 awarene maternal  and child  care  including  health  and  nutrition  education.  Mothers'  Absolute Affection (MAA) programme for improving breastfeeding practices (Initial Breastfeedi within one hour, Exclusive Breastfeeding up to six months and complementary feedi up  to  two  year s)  through  mass  media  campaigns  and  capacity  building  of  health  care providers in health facilities as well as in communities.
- (4) Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) is being supported to provide vaccination t children  against  life  threatening  diseases such  as  Tuberculosis,  Diphtheria,  Pertussis, Polio,  Tetanus,  Hepatitis  B,  Measles,  Rubella,  Pneumonia  and  Meningitis  caused Haemophilus Influenzae B. 'Mission Indradhanush and Intensified Mission Indradhanush'  was  launched  to  immunize  children  who  are  e ither  unvaccinated  or partially vaccinated i.e. those that have not been covered during the rounds of immunization for various reasons.
- (5) Name based tracking of mothers and children till two years of age (Mother and Ch Tracking  System)  is  done  t o  ensure  complete  antenatal,  intranatal,  postnatal  care  an complete immunization as per schedule.

Contd......

- (6) Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) for health screening, early detection of bi defects,  diseases,  deficiencies,  development  delays and arly  intervention  services  has been operationalized to provide comprehensive care to all the children in the age gr 0- 18 years in the community.
- (7) Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs) have been set up at public health facili treat  and  m anage  the  children  with  Severe  Acute  Malnutrition  (SAM)  admitted  with medical complications.
- (8) Iron  and  folic  acid  (IFA)  supplementation  for  the  prevention  of  anaemia  among vulnerable age groups, home visits by ASHAs to promote exclusive breast feeding a promote use of ORS and Zinc for management of diarrhoea in children under Intensifi Diar rhoea Control Fortnight (IDCF), administration of deworm tablets to all the chi in the age group of 1 - 19 years during National Deworming Day (February and August) are carried out.
- (9) Health and nutrition education through Information, Education & Commun ication (IEC) and Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) to promote healthy practices and create awareness to generate demand and improve service uptake.
- (10) Various  trainings  are  being  conducted  to  build  and  upgrade  the  skills  of  health providers in basic and comprehensive obstetric care of mother during pregnancy, delivery and essential new - born care.

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