Lok Sabha Question No. 1095 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-04
Subject: Pre-Mature Death
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: K. C. VENUGOPAL, BHAGWANTH KHUBA

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1095 TO BE ANSWERED ON 4 TH DECEMBER, 2015

## PRE -MATURE DEATH

## 1095. SHRI K.C. VENUGOPAL: SHRI BHAGWANTH K HUBA :

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

(a) whether the Government has taken note of alarming premature deaths in the country; if so, the details thereof, State/ UT - wise;

(b) whether as per the global action report on prematur e death, India tops the list of 10 nations computing 60% of the world's pre - mature  deliveries,  if  so,  the details thereof along with the corrective steps taken by the Government in this regard;

(c) whether the Government has adopted any measures to train young Pediatricians to ensure the survival of preterm born children in the country particularly in the rural areas; and

- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)

(a): As per WHO Publication 'Born too Soon: The Global Action Report on Preterm Birth' , out of an estimated   annual   2.7 crore live births in India , 35 lakh babies are born out of these 3.03 lakh babies die due to complication of preterm births. The state/UT w on prematurity is not collected at the national level.

- (b) : Yes. A s  per  the  above  report,  10  nations  in  the  world  account  for  60%  of  the  world's premature deliveries and India is one of them.

Under the National Health  Mission, the following key interventions implementedall over the country to bring do wn theinfant mortality:

are

- I. Promoting Institutional delivery through Janani Suraksha Yojna (JSY) cash  incentive scheme for pregnant mothers and Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK ) which entitles  all  pregnant  women and  sick  infant to absolutely  free  an d  no  expense treatment at the public health facilities.
- II. Strengthening o f delivery  points by identifying  the  'delivery  points'  for  providing comprehensive and quality RMNCH Services at those health facilities

bei

- III. Strengthening  of  newborn  care  services  by  establishing    facilities  for  care  o Newborn such as Special New Born Care Units (SNCUs), New Born Stabilization Units (NBSUs) and New Born Care Corners (NBCCs) and provision of  Home based new born care (HBNC ) through ASHAs. Guidelines for Use of Antenatal Corticosteroids in preterm labour and Kangaroo Mother care and Optimal feeding Low  birth  weight  infants  for  the  management  of  preterm  babies  have  been disseminated to the states.

(c) & (d): Under  National  Health  Mission  (NHM)  Facility  Based  Newborn  Care  (FBNC) training is being imparted to the specialist, medical officers and nurses working in th Newborn  Care  Units  (SNCUs)  established  at  the  district  and  sub  district  level  to  p comprehensive care to the sick and preterm babies. FBNC training package is of 4 day class training followed by 14 day observer ship for hands on training at designated centres.

Navjat  Shishu  Suraksha  Karyakaram  (NSSK)  is  the  training  programme  for doctors, nurses and ANMs to build their capacity to provide essential newborn care to all newborns.