VIJAYAWADA: Health Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav announced that the government is preparing a special action plan to reduce maternal and infant mortality. As part of this initiative, district-level review teams comprising three doctors have been formed to study the quality of existing services and identify gaps.
The Minister noted that in AP, 19 infants out of every 1,000 die, compared to 25 at the national level. Of these, 16 deaths occur within the first 28 days of birth, making neonatal mortality a matter of concern.
The action plan will place special focus on these early deaths, with changes proposed in the reporting system to ensure accurate monitoring.
With the support of UNICEF and the World Health Organisation (WHO), hospitals are conducting gap assessments to identify shortcomings in maternal and newborn care. The framework of the India Newborn Action Plan issued by the Central government is being followed to strengthen clinical practices and service delivery.
The review teams, paediatricians, gynaecologists, and specialists in social and preventive medicine, will visit government hospitals and district health offices to collect information on services provided to pregnant women, mothers, and kids under five. Reports from each district will be compiled at State headquarters to form the basis of an action plan.
A special workshop was held in Vijayawada to train the review teams on data collection methods. Senior officials from the Health and Family Welfare Department, along with WHO officials and UNICEF, explained the measures being taken and emphasised the need for focused interventions.
Authorities stated that the plan will serve as a guiding framework for safeguarding health for future generations.