J&K once again witnesses decline in Infant Mortality Rate

Jammu: The UT of J&K has been able to achieve ‘remarkable improvement’ in multiple indicators related to maternal and child health in the recent years—with notable progress in reducing infant mortality rate (IMR). The infant mortality rate has been reduced from 52 (2005) to 22 (2018) as per the latest data released by Registrar General of India in SRS Bulletin today. The current national average of infant mortality rate stands at 32 much higher than that of the J&K State.
Shri Atal Dullo, Financial Commissioner to Govt. Health & Medical Education Department and Shri Bhupinder Kumar, Mission Director NHM, J&K has appreciated the efforts of Govt. Medical Colleges; Directorate of Health Services, Family Welfare, ISMall the field functionaries including doctors, paramedical staff, ASHA workers & Programme Management Unit staff for their continued efforts to improve maternal and new born care in the State which has resulted in continuous decrease in Infant Mortality Rate. 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.
The entire Health and Medical Education Department with active support from National Health Mission (NHM) has put strenuous efforts to provide essential newborn care at Government health institutions across the Union Territory through Facility Based & Home Based Newborn Care. Special New-born Care Units (SNCU) have been established in 27 District/other equivalent Hospitals, 3 NICUs, New Born Stabilization Units (NBSUs) in 65 CHCs level and New Born Corners (NBCCs) in 264 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.
It is pertinent to mention here that, in order to further decrease Infant Mortality Rate in the J&K UT to single digit by 2022 an action plan has been developed& is being implemented at various levels. The action plan enlists the community based and health facility based interventions for accelerating rate of decline.