• The Indian government, through the ICMR and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, is implementing a comprehensive strategy to reduce newborn and child mortality and improve overall health outcomes.
  

• Key Takeaways:

1. ICMR Research Initiatives: 

• The ICMR is conducting extensive research, including the "Sankalp" program to reduce neonatal mortality to the single digits, research on reducing stillbirths, studies on childhood respiratory diseases (which reveal differences from Western data), and projects focusing on the first 1000 days of life, sickle cell disease screening, and birth defect surveillance.

2. National Health Mission (NHM) Programs: 

• The NHM is implementing numerous nationwide programs to improve newborn and child health. 

• Key initiatives include establishing specialized newborn care units (SNCUs and NBSUs), promoting mother-newborn care (MNCUs and KMC), providing home-based care (HBNC & HBYC), ensuring free treatment under JSSK, implementing universal immunization (UIP), promoting breastfeeding (MAA), combating pneumonia (SAANS) and diarrhea (STOP Diarrhoea), screening children under RBSK, managing malnutrition in NRCs, addressing anemia (AMB), and providing extensive capacity building for healthcare providers.

3. The ICMR is forging dynamic partnerships with stakeholders, including national/state pediatric associations and NGOs, to amplify research and implementation endeavors.

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