Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is aware of the recent cases of infant deaths in hospitals across the country particularly in Rajasthan;
(b) if so, the number of infants died in hospitals during the last three years, State/UT-wise including Rajasthan, Karnataka, Assam and Uttar Pradesh; and
(c) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to curb such cases in the country particularly in Karnataka and Rajasthan?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(DR. HARSH VARDHAN)
(a) to (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 97 FOR 7TH FEBRUARY, 2020
(a) In the month of December, 2019, and January, 2020, there were Newspaper reports of infant deaths in hospital of J. K. Lon Kota, Umaid Hospital Jodhpur, MDM Hospital Jodhpur, JLN hospital Ajmer, Rajasthan, Civil hospital Rajkot, Civil hospital Ahemdabad, Gujarat, Jhabua, Khandwa, Ratlam and Shajdol district of Madhya Pradesh and Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir.
(b) Hospital wise data across states is not maintained centrally, however, as per Sample Registration System Report 2017, Infant Mortality Rate of India is 33 per 1000 live Births. State wise details of SRS 2015, 16 & 17 are placed at annexure.
(c) In order to address child mortality and morbidity, Government of India is implementing Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent health and Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) strategy in all States/UTs under National Health Mission.
The various interventions under RMNCHA+N strategy are as below:
1. Strengthening essential newborn care at all delivery points, establishment of Sick Newborn Care Units (SNCU), Newborn Stabilization Units (NBSU) and Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) units for care of sick and small babies.
2. Home Based Newborn Care (HBNC) and Home Based Care of Young Children (HBYC) by ASHAs to improve child rearing practices and to identify sick newborn and children.
3. The Government of India has launched POSHAN (Prime Minister overreaching scheme for holistic nourishment) Abhiyaan to address malnutrition through multi-sectoral action, behaviour change communication, training and capacity building of community workers. The Anemia Mukt Bharat strategy under POSHAN Abhiyaan has also been initiated with focus on life cycle approach, Iron and folic acid supplementation, demand generation and dashboard for monitoring the progress.
4. Early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding for first six months and appropriate Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices are promoted under Mothers’ Absolute Affection (MAA) in convergence with Ministry of Women and Child Development. Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs) have been set up at public health facilities to treat and manage the children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) admitted with medical complications.
5. Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) is being supported to provide vaccination to children against life threatening diseases such as Tuberculosis, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Polio, Tetanus, Hepatitis B, Measles, Rubella, Pneumonia and Meningitis caused by Haemophilus Influenzae B. The Rotavirus vaccination has also been rolled out in the country for prevention of Rota-viral diarrhoea. “Mission Indradhanush is targeted to immunize children who are either unvaccinated or partially vaccinated i.e. those that have not been covered during the rounds of routine immunization for various reasons. Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 2.0 is rolled-out as per road-map for achieving 90% full immunization coverage across the country.
6. All the children from 0 to 18 years of age are screened for 30 health conditions classified into 4Ds - Diseases, Deficiencies, Defects and Developmental delay under “Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakaram” (RBSK) to improve the quality of survival and to reduce out of pocket expenditure of families. District early intervention centre (DEIC) at district health facility level are established for confirmation and management of the 4D’s.
7. National Deworming Day (NDD) is implemented biannually every year for deworming of children (one to nineteen year of age).
8. Defeat Diarrhoea (D2) initiative has been launched for promoting ORS and Zinc use and eliminating the diarrhoeal deaths by 2025.
Social Awareness and Actions to Neutralize Pneumonia Successfully (SAANS) initiative for reduction of Childhood morbidity and mortality due to Pneumonia.
9. Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Days (VHSNDs) are observed for provision of maternal and child health services and awareness on maternal and child Health and nutrition education through mass and social media to improve healthy practices and to generate demand for service uptake.
10. Name based tracking of mothers and children till two years of age is done through RCH portal to ensure complete antenatal, intranatal, postnatal care and immunization as per schedule.
11. Promotion of Institutional deliveries through cash incentive under Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) and Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK) which entitles all pregnant women delivering in public health institutions to absolutely free delivery including Caesarean section, post-natal care and treatment of sick infants up to one year of age. Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) is another maternity benefit programme under which cash incentive is provided to pregnant women and lactating mothers