Deputy Chief Minister urged Rewa to take maternal and infant mortality challenge as an opportunity

Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla said that coordinated efforts were essential to reduce maternal and newborn mortality rates. Rewa district had to take this challenge as an opportunity, he said. Public representatives and field staff of the health and women and child development departments should raise awareness among people and play their part in bringing down maternal and infant mortality. Under the Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Day initiative, the Deputy Chief Minister inaugurated a training workshop for members of Panchayati Raj institutions on newborn care and adolescent mental health.

Training workshop for Panchayati Raj members on newborn care and adolescent health inaugurated

Speaking at the workshop, organised jointly by the district administration and UNICEF at the Vindhya Retreat hotel of the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation, Shukla said newborn and maternal mortality rates in Madhya Pradesh were higher than the national index, and that there had to be a firm resolve to reduce them. Public representatives and the departmental field staff in Rewa would treat this as a challenge and tackle it with full determination, he said. He said all pregnant women should be registered and examined regularly. Gynaecologists had to be present at health centres on the 9th and 25th of every month and examine them. Shukla said that telemedicine should be used to consult senior doctors for check-ups and treatment of pregnant women. He expected the UNICEF representative to take part in the treatment and screening of all women and newborns in the cluster of villages suggested by the Collector. He said meaningful results would appear in Rewa district within the next six months only through sincere work with the support of ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers and ANMs, and that this would justify the workshop. Shukla also advised that schoolgirls’ health be checked regularly. He urged everyone to take part in fulfilling the Prime Minister’s resolve, and said effective efforts were under way in the state government to provide education, health and employment.

Gangev Janpad Panchayat president Vikas Tiwari said efforts to improve rural health services were continuing through the Deputy Chief Minister’s endeavours, and that public representatives and the department staff would sincerely play their part in reducing infant and maternal mortality. Collector Pratibha Pal said UNICEF had selected five clusters in the district, and with the help of the health, women and child development and rural departments, all women should be examined and people in those areas made aware to reduce maternal and infant mortality. She called on field staff to pledge to reduce infant and maternal mortality in the district. Municipal Corporation Commissioner Dr Saurabh Sonawane urged field staff to work with willpower, be present at headquarters, hospitals and villages, and give their full contribution. UNICEF’s Dr Prashant Kumar also addressed the workshop. NHM Joint Director Dr Prabhakar Tiwari explained the purpose of the workshop. CMHO Dr Sanjeev Shukla proposed the vote of thanks and Dr Sunil Awasthi conducted the proceedings. Additional Collector Sapna Tripathi, Saurabh Saxena, the CEO of the Janpad Panchayat, officials of the health, women and child development and rural development departments, and Panchayat representatives were present.