VIJAYAWADA: Forty per cent of the medical staff are not aware of how to provide immediate first aid and stabilisation care in emergencies, Principal Secretary (HM&FW) MT Krishna Babu said citing a survey here on Wednesday.
Addressing the Care Companion Programme (CCP) jointly organised by National Health Mission (NHM) Andhra Pradesh and Noora Health, MT Krishna Babu informed that the State’s Mother Mortality Rate (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) were 45 and 30 respectively.
Addressing the gathering, the Principal Secretary said that all maternal health indicators, including MMR & IMR, should be reduced for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “A healthy population can be achieved by improving the health of mothers and newborns. The concept of the programme, in which training will be provided to staff nurses and counsellors from various healthcare facilities, is to increase the reach at the community level,” he said.
He further went on to say that the trainees will teach the caregivers about the basic aspects of health while creating awareness among the patients’ families. This will contribute to the improvement of maternal and child health and the reduction of MMR as well as IMR in the state.
J. Nivas, Mission Director of NHM, emphasised the significance of families and caregivers in enhancing patients’ health. “CCP provides structured health education to caregivers and families by healthcare professionals. The programme in Andhra Pradesh is centred on various aspects of maternal and child care, including nutrition, breastfeeding, and awareness of high-risk pregnancy. Noora Health and UNICEF had taken a commendable initiative to strengthen best practices in maternal and child healthcare, a vital aspect of the health sector.
Dr. Seema Murthy, Director of Noora Health, said that the CCP is a health system-strengthening initiative dedicated to enhancing patient outcomes within public health systems. It trains and educates patients, their families, and caregivers, providing them with the high-impact health skills necessary for enhanced recovery and well-being. The nurses, counsellors, and MLHPs undergo vigorous training on becoming effective health educators in a low-cost setting.
Dr KVNS Anil Kumar, Additional Director (MCH),Dr. K. Arjuna Rao, Joint director (CHI), Dr. Hanumantha Rao, Joint director (MHN), Dr. Nirmal Glory, PO (Family planning) and others were present.