Centre to adopt state health policies

The Centre will be adopting the policies and best practices of the states which have been successful in reducing malnutrition and improving health conditions for the National Nutrition Mission (NNM) titled Poshan Abhiyaan.

"Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Karnataka, Rajasthan - these states have shown improvement in health sector. So we will assemble the best policies and measures adopted by these states to improve the health status," Rakesh Srivastava, Secretary, Women and Child Development (WCD) Ministry, told IANS on Friday.

"We will put it up in the website as role model to be studied and adopted by the others," he added.

The Secretary who is also heading the Executive Committee - the apex body for all nutrition related activities under the Poshan Abhiyaan, held the first meeting earlier this week.

According to the WCD Ministry, for the financial year 2017-18, 315 districts have been identified.

"Out of 315 districts, we will begin the scheme in 115 aspirational districts who have scored poor in terms of health sector. However, no particular states have been focused for the scheme, it is a pan India problem," he added.

Funds amounting to Rs 9,046.17 crore were allocated in this year's budget and the secretary mentioned that for the first phase Rs 1,500 crore has been finalised.

The Poshan Abhiyaan was launched earlier in March from Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan on International Women's Day by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"For NNM, the Health Ministry will also be closely working with the WCD Ministry which will be rolling out certain health measures like Pneumococcal vaccination and Rotavirus vaccination, first in the 115 districts and later across the country," the secretary said.

--IANS

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