Srinagar: Continuing its efforts towards reduction of Child Mortality Indicators, the State of Jammu and Kashmir has registered a significant decline in the Under 5 Mortality Rate from 26 to 24 as per latest Sample Registration System (SRS 2017) data issued by Registrar General of India.
The current national average of Under 5 mortality rate stands at 37 much higher than that of the J&K State.
The Department of Health and Medical Education informed that the decline in Under 5 mortality rate has led to attainment of Sustainable Development Goal by Jammu & Kashmir much earlier than the proposed target of 2030.
The Department with active support from National Health Mission (NHM) has put strenuous efforts to provide essential newborn care at Government health institutions across the State through Facility Based and Home-Based Newborn Care.
Special New-born Care Units (SNCU) have been established in 26 District/other equivalent Hospitals, New Born Stabilization Units (NBSUs) in 67 CHCs level and New Born Corners (NBCCs) in 282 delivery points with financial and technical support from National Health Mission.
The progress in scaling up the interventions to save the lives of the newborn has substantially accelerated during recent times leading to reduction in Child Mortality Indicators, some of the measure in this regard include, strengthening of NICUs, SNCUs strengthening of labour Rooms in peripheral public health institutions, implementation of Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram, hiring of manpower etc, the Department said.
Meanwhile, Financial Commissioner Health & Medical Education Department Atal Dulloo and Bhupinder Kumar, Mission Director NHM, J&K have appreciated the efforts of all the field functionaries including doctors, paramedical staff, ASHA workers and Programme Management Unit staff for their continued efforts to improve maternal and new born care in the State.
They have stressed for sustained efforts in future for better health care service delivery so as to further improve the maternal and child health indicators in the coming years.
