NHM takes measures to improve maternal, child health in 34 Assam districts

National Health Mission, Assam, has taken a series of measures, including visits by the state team to all 34 districts, for improving maternal and child health.

The team stays in the district for three days to review maternal, and newborn deaths and other health-related aspects, NHM mission director Dr. M S Lakshmi Priya told a review meeting.

The measures also include organising a monthly consultation-cum-review conclave in the districts, and special health camps.

The NHM mission director said that the state has the capability to reduce maternal and newborn deaths if a targeted approach is adopted.

The maternal death cases have come down to 289 in the AprilSeptember period of 2022-23 as against 384 during the corresponding period in 2021-22.

The number of child deaths has also declined from 3,842 in 2021-22 (April-September) to 3,523 in 2022-23.

A monthly consultation-cum-review conclave, 'Swasthya Manthan', is being organised by the NHM in all the districts and so far three such programmes have been conducted, she said.

The consultation conclave is attended by all the district health teams and development partners to review the district-wise performance on major health indicators and to take future course corrections.

Another programme titled 'Swasthya Sewa Abhiyan' (SSA) or Special Health Camps has been taken up in identified blocks of all the districts to facilitate comprehensive health services under one roof.

Two such health camps have been conducted so far while the third is currently being held in the districts.

She said that as many as 9,384 patients were examined in the first special health camp and 23,483 patients were screened in the second one.

Another initiative, 'Swasthya Charcha', has been taken up by the NHM where a set of questionnaires is shared by the state headquarters every week with all the districts, and they in turn share the same with the in-charges of Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs).

Discussions are held every morning before frontline workers start outpatient department (OPD), the responses are evaluated and corrective steps are taken if any gap is found.