MATERNAL NEWBORN AND CHILD HEALTH IN INDIA

INDIA'S MISSION

By 2030, India aims to reach a Maternal Mortality Ratio of 70.
By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, aiming to
reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at
least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births.

WHAT WE DO

IHAT and The University of Manitoba are working in close collaboration with the Government of Uttar Pradesh to improve availability, quality and utilisation across the community, facility and systemic level for maternal, newborn and child health outcomes.

  • STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY PROCESSESS

IHAT works with the government to enhance the coverage and quality of antenatal care, birth planning, home-based maternal, newborn, child health services and immunisation.

We build the capacity of Frontline Workers to mobilise communities to seek and receive essential maternal and child health services by supporting the government in their training and mentoring.

We develop job aids and tools to support the Frontline Workers to easily communicate and educate the women in the community

  • CAPACITY BUILDING FOR IMPROVED QUALITY

IHAT works towards improving the quality of Emergency Obstetric & Newborn care (Comprehensive and Basic) and paediatric services by strengthening knowledge, skills and practice of service providers.

The Nurse Mentors model provides on-site mentoring to the staff nurses to build their capacity on critical maternal and child health practices while the Regional Resource Training Center Training ropes in faculty from the medical colleges to mentor specialist doctors at first referral units to activate/strengthen Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric & Newborn services.

  • FACILITY READINESS FOR IMPROVED OUTCOMES

IHAT supports the government in conducting situational analysis to assess the availability of equipment, supplies and trained human resources for Emergency Obstetric & Newborn care (Comprehensive and Basic) and paediatric services.

It works with the government to develop micro-plans to address these gaps and facilitates the process where necessary.

Resources

Zero Dose Children: Understanding Missed Vaccinations in UP through a Gender Lens

UP TSU conducted exploratory conversations with mothers of zero dose children as part of the Zero Dose Learning Agenda (ZDLA). This research aimed to identify the local determinants leading to missed childhood vaccinations in specific geographies and examine gendered barriers to immunisation. This brief summarises the insights exploring gendered barriers impacting childhood immunisation and strategies to mitigate these barriers, focusing on gender inequality.

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Gender Responsiveness in Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Service Delivery: A Framework for Gender Integration in Training for the Public Health Workforce across Uttar Pradesh, India

Gender is a key social determinant of health, shaping both access and delivery of healthcare services. Achieving universal health coverage relies on equipping healthcare providers with an understanding of gender norms affecting healthcare utilization, access, and outcomes. This knowledge brief presents a framework to systematically integrate gender-responsive care into training programs for public health cadres in Uttar Pradesh.

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Navjat Shishu Suraksha Karyakram

The Uttar Pradesh Health Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh, launched Navjat Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (NSSK) to reduce neonatal mortality from birth asphyxia by training Staff Nurses and ANMs. The evaluation revealed gaps like inconsistent knowledge transfer and limited practical exposure. The program was revised to integrate adult learning principles, hands-on training, and better facilitator-to-participant ratios, ensuring uniform skill acquisition and improved newborn care.

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