Safe Mother Safe Newborn campaign to curb mortality rate in State

In a bid to curb the very high infant mortality rate and maternity mortality rate in Andhra Pradesh, the state government has come forward to organise a twelve day long campaign called ‘Safe Mother and Safe Newborn’ . The campaign educates pregnant women about necessary care and health that could lead to a healthy baby and mother, post delivery. It is set to kick start from November 14th, on the occasion of Children’s Day with a rally followed by a meeting at Vasavya Mahila Mandali in the city.

Addressing the newsmen here on Friday, Krishna district Nodal Officer of the campaign, Dr S Vanisree said, the aim of the campaign is to excessively promote the measures that pregnant women have to take in order to remain healthy and deliver a healthy child. The focus is not only on nutritional diet but also on the health conditions of woman with high risk pregnancies, their environment surroundings and locales that contribute to her well-being and immunization of the mother and child. The campaign will vigorously promote the cause from grass root level at the districts in the State including that of medical colleges, public health care centers, sub-centers, anganwadi centers and etc.

District Medical and Health Officer Dr R Nagamalleswari said there are 92 deaths of mothers for every one lakh pregnancies and 39 infants are falling prey to the sickness for every 1000 of them, in the State. Government has taken the step to influence people over the subject and sensitize them to be careful over the post pregnancy and during pregnancy. The campaign will be taken out to every nook and corner of the district and State with support from District Rural Development Authority, Self Help Groups, School Health department, MEPMA, Women and Child Welfare department and Angwanwadi centers.

Throughout the campaign, activities such as counseling, infrastructure and sanitation supervision, ensuring protocols in Labour Room management, hospital support, and assessment of protocols, among others will be carried out. Counseling of marriageable age, teenage girl child physical counseling, pre- pregnancy care, cautions during pregnancy, importance of breast feeding, immunization vaccines, family planning will be discussed, she added. A poster of the Safe Mother and Safe Newborn was unveiled on the occasion.