Newborn corners in CHCs mooted

BHUBANESWAR: The Health and Family Welfare Department has been instructed to launch effective communication in a professional manner for success of health campaigns in the State.

�Health, nutrition and sanitation interventions of the Government are interrelated and complementary to each other. Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities should be undertaken in a planned manner for success of these programmes, Chief Secretary BK Patnaik advised the department while presiding over the governing body meeting of the Orissa State Health and Family Welfare Society. The meeting decided to set up newborn corners in Community Health Centres (CHC) and sub-divisional hospitals for instant care of newborns. It has been targeted to establish 1,028 such units by 2012-end. The meeting was informed that 452 units have been set up by September-end.

�It was also decided that bicycles will be supplied to ASHAs through Gaon Kalyan Samitis (GKS) and the hand washing campaign will be included in regular IEC activities. The department was asked to carry on this work on a mission mode to change the behaviour and habits of children.

�Two additional mobile health units will be provided in each block in the KBK region and tribal blocks and health camps will be organised in each Assembly constituency under Biju Gramina Swasthya Sibira Yojana.

�Considering the success of Janani Express programme, it was decided to engage 48 more Janani Express trains taking the total to 355.

�Health Secretary Anu Garg announced that an additional 13 maternity waiting homes have also been approved for difficult and inaccessible areas.

The department has so far utilised� Rs. 175.70 crore till September which is 39 per cent of the total available funds. The Chief Secretary directed the department to make all-out efforts to utilise the funds before the next financial year.� Women and Child Development Secretary Arati Ahuja, NRHM Director Pramod Meherda was present.