Care of the New Born: Key to Growth of Nation
For a nation to grow and progress, the well being and health of the children is of crucial
importance. As of now, various health indicators of children present a dismal picture with
India ranking quite low vis-a-vis most developed countries. The current infant mortality
rate (IMR), which means the number of deaths per 1,000 live births, stands at 60.
Government interventions like Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Reproductive
and Child Health (RCH) have made some headway in reducing the infant and
maternal mortality, and mitigating the incidence of 6 killer diseases (diphtheria, pertussis,
tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, measles and tetanus) to which infants and children are more
prone. Yet the gaps, even in immunisation, are formidable. Diarrhoea, malnutrition,
respiratory infections are the other diseases afflicting the Indian children. A laudable
initiative to improve the health status of the new born has been taken up by Ministry of
Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, UNICEF, WHO and other NGO’s. New
Born Week is being organised during 15-21 November 2009, all over India. During this
week concerned health professionals with the help of public health administrators and
local leaders, create awareness towards the measures that can help reduce infant and
maternal mortality and morbidity.
The nurse community has ever been in forefront in safe delivery and nurturing of
infants. Yet, since most of the child births in rural India are conducted by unskilled birth
attendants, who have poor or no knowledge of scientific delivery methods, there is
urgent need to intensively train them in advanced and safe delivery practices. On its
part, Trained Nurses Association of India (TNAI) has already been organising
programmes, seminars and meets on survival of pregnant women and children,
breastfeeding etc. We shall be ensuring that the components of safe delivery, maternal
health essential new born care promotion of breastfeeding etc. are adequately
covered in our series of programmes.
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