Cape Town: Citing data on the annual rate of reduction in neonatal mortality in India between 2016 and 2021, a top World Health Organization (WHO) official said that India, which has taken proactive steps to reduce neonatal mortality, will have 100,000 deaths by 2030. This key sector has the potential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Dr. Anshu Banerjee, Director, Department of Maternal, Neonatal, Child and Adolescent Health and Adolescent Health, World Health Organization in Geneva, said that ‘India has taken important steps to improve the quality of care during labor and delivery, thereby reducing maternal The death rate has come down. This will also benefit the newborn babies.
He said, “If we talk about the annual rate of reduction in neonatal mortality rate between 2016-2021 and it remains the same till 2022-2030, then it is likely that India will be able to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”. Dr. Banerjee said that India has taken proactive steps to reduce neonatal mortality, including strengthening policy and planning for newborn health. Dr Banerjee had arrived here last week to participate in the ‘International Maternal Newborn Health Conference’ (IMNHC 2023). He addressed several sessions during the four-day conference held from May 8 to 11.
IMNHC 2023 is hosted by the Government of South Africa and AlignMNH in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and in partnership with UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund), UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) and the World Bank. An established newborn care program has been introduced in India both at the health facility and community level.
One of the largest programs launched to provide “appropriate home care to newborns” is being run in India. It involves six to seven home visits by frontline health workers (ASHAs) to provide post-birth health services and counselling.
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