Medical fraternity urged to curb infant mortality rate

Itagar, March 31: An 11-day training on facility-based integrated magement of neotal and childhood illness (F-IMNCI) for medical officers and staff nurses commenced at YT hotel and another eight-day training for the newly appointed Auxiliary Nurse Midwifery (ANMs) on IMNCI in two different batches at State Training Hall, tiol Health Mission was held here on Friday.

Both training programmes were organized by the State Health Society. Mission Director (NHM) Dr Tapasya Raghav, while expressing her disappointment at the increasing infant mortality rate (IMR) in the State, urged the medical officers and staff nurses to address the morbidity and mortality of newborn with utmost priority.

She reiterated that the medical officers and nursing personnel should discharge their duty sincerely while maging the newborn and children, thus bridging the shortage of pediatricians in the remote areas.

While appreciating all the medical staff for their contribution in achieving 100% success in Measles-Rubella vaccition campaign, she urged them to put the same zeal in decreasing the ‘abysmal’ infant mortality rate.

She categorically said that no further training will be given on F-IMNCI unless medical officers and staff nurses take the training sincerely and deliver their service in an effective way.

Earlier, welcoming the participants, nodal officer (NHM) T Taku explained that Facility-Based Integrated Magement of Neotal & Childhood Illness (F-IMNCI) has been developed with an aim to address the skill gaps found in health facilities.

F-IMNCI aims to provide optimum skills and help build capacities of the medical officers and staff nurses to address the child morbidity and mortality and maging the newborn and children.

Family Welfare Director Dr K Lego, while addressing the iugural session of the 8-day IMNCI training for newly appointed ANMs explained that IMNCI is a systematic approach to children’s health which focuses on the whole physical development of a child, including curative care and prevention of disease.

He urged that the nurses must take care of newborn babies whether it was an institutiol or home delivery to minimize IMR, an official release stated on Saturday.