TN Health Minister inaugurates schemes to improve neonatal, maternal services in TN
The department will also issue Child Health Cards to track the growth and development of the newborns. As many as 400 Well Baby Clinics will also be established across the State.
TN Health Minister inaugurates schemes to improve neonatal, maternal services in TN
Health Minister Ma Subramanian (X)
CHENNAI: Health Minister Ma Subramanian inaugurated several health schemes for neonatal and maternal services in the State on Saturday. As announced earlier in the assembly, under the scheme, head-to-toe examinations for all newborns in Tamil Nadu will be conducted to detect birth defects.
The department will also issue Child Health Cards to track the growth and development of the newborns. As many as 400 Well Baby Clinics will also be established across the State.
Additionally, another project worth Rs 1.28 crore was launched to provide home-based care for low-birth-weight and premature babies in 7 districts such as Chennai, Chengalpattu, Cuddalore, Kallakurichi, Kancheepuram, Tiruvannamalai and Villupuram. The project enables real-time monitoring of vital signs and timely medical interventions.
The minister said that infant mortality rate has decreased significantly in Tamil Nadu in comparison to the national average of 28. “Several initiatives by the State Health Department have led to a decline in infant mortality rate from 10.2 per 1,000 births in the last three years to 8.0 per 1,000 births as per the Health Management Information System (HMIS) report for April-August 2024,” he added. “These initiatives ensure comprehensive healthcare for infants and facilitate early detection and treatment of congenital disorders, vision and hearing impairments, and growth issues.”
The department also plans to train nurses in yoga, naturopathy and Indian medicine to enable pregnant women in physical and mental well-being, and ease childbirth.
Additionally, a Parenting App is also being developed for pregnant women and children, nutritional information, pregnancy and childbirth guidance, postpartum care, child development tracking details and breastfeeding related information.” This app will help identify pregnancy complications in a timely manner,” the minister stated, and urged the Union government to supply 20.15 lakh vaccines for diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus annually. So far, the Union government has supplied only 9 lakh vaccines.