PATNA: Executive director, State Health Society (SHS), Sanjay Kumar on Thursday said that Bihar has significantly reduced the infant mortality rate (IMR) from 56 to 52 and is only 2 points below the national average of 50. The state is committed to achieve an IMR figure lower than the national average, for which co-ordination amongst several departments such as health, PHED, education etc is a must, Kumar said while addressing the second State New-born Care Core committee meeting held here.
New Born Care Core Committee meeting is held every three months to give advice to SHS as well as to the state government for enhancing the new-born care practices in the state.
Rajeev Sinha, programme manager, UNICEF, said, “There are more than 12 lakhs malnourished children in Bihar, which poses a great challenge in the field of new-born care practices in the state.” However, with proper utilization of the existing infrastructure and available resources, significant achievements can be gained, Sinha opined.
The meet aimed at reviewing the progress made in 2010 in the field of new-born care, plan about inter-department and inter-partner convergence on issue of new-born care and to develop a vision or roadmap for the next two years.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary (PHED), Principal Secretary (Social Welfare), Principal Secretary (Panchayati Raj), Director, ICDS, along with officials of State Health Society, state representatives of National Neonatal Forum, CARE and heads of departments of paediatrics of all the medical colleges of Bihar.
Read more:Â Infant mortality falls in Bihar – The Times of India