State aims to bring MMR down from 235 to 100 in 3 yrs!

--to reduce IMR from 53 to 30: Health Secy

BHUBANESWAR: “The State Government has aimed to reduce the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) from 235 to 100 and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) from 53 to 30 in the State within three years,” said Health and Family Welfare Department Secretary PK Mohapatra attending a Sate-level consultation here on Wednesday.

The State-level consultation, for intensification and harmonisation of efforts in high priority districts of Odisha for improved maternal and child health, was organised by the National Health Mission (NHM) in association with its development partners including UNFPA, DFID and Unicef.

Mohapatra said they have assembled in the consultation with development partners to chalk out a plan in order to achieve the goal within three years. They would start an awareness campaign to reduce the MMR and IMR in ten High Priority Districts (HPDs) in the State. These districts were identified as Malkangiri, Koraput, Gajapati, Balangir, Kandhamal, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Boudh, Kalahandi and Nuapada, he added.

Gracing the occasion, Additional Secretary cum Mission Director of NHM Anuradha Gupta said that instead of focusing on doctors, the State should focus on monitoring the work of village level workers like Anganwadi, ANM and ASHA at the grassroots level so that the goal can be achieved. She called upon the Collectors and other health officials to monitor the work effectively in their level to get success.   

   

The recent annual health survey has seen a decline in maternal mortality from 277 (AHS 2010-11) to 235 (SRS 2012-13) and decrease in infant mortality from 62 (AHS-2010-11) to 53 (SRS- 2012-13) in the State.

Gupta said that State’s commitment to decrease maternal, infant and malaria mortality, malnutrition are still faced with challenges in the most difficult areas. It is in this light that the Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCH+A) programme been launched by the Government to address difficulties being faced by pregnant women and parents of sick newborns in 10 high priority districts, she added.

Among others, NHM State Mission Director Roopa Mishra, Development Commissioners of Union Ministry of Health and Fanily Welfare H Bhushan, Dr SK Sikdar and Dr D Baswal along with representatives of development partners Meenakshi Nath of DFID, UNFPA India Representative Frederika Meijer and UNICEF India chief of health Dr Genevieve Begkoyian were present.