New Delhi, Aug 16: Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar on Tuesday virtually launched the Early Childhood Development Conclave, Paalan 1000 National Campaign and Parenting App in Mumbai, and said that India has taken rapid strides in reducing child mortality since 2014 from 45 per 1000 live births to 35 per 1000 live births in 2019.
Emphasising the importance of the early phases of a child’s life as its impact can last a lifetime, Pawar said, “The process of a baby’s brain development begins during pregnancy and is influenced by a pregnant woman’s health, nutrition and environment. After birth, apart from the physical growth, a human baby’s brain development paves the way for its future level of intelligence and quality of life.”
She said that each day of this journey is special and influences the way a baby develops, grows and learns – not just now, but for her entire life.
She added that the child survival cannot be addressed in isolation as it is intricately linked to the health of the mother. “Therefore, the concept of ‘Continuum of Care’, that emphasises on care during critical life stages in order to improve child survival, is being followed under the national programme,” the MoS Health added.
The first 1000 days establishes a solid platform for a child’s physical, mental, emotional, cognitive and social health”, he highlighted, Pawar added.
“The child health programme under the National Health Mission (NHM) comprehensively integrated interventions which improved child survival and addressed factors contributing to infant and under-five mortality. Hence, our National Health Mission ensures that critical services are made available at home, through community outreach and through health facilities at various levels like primary, first referral units, tertiary health care facilities”, she said.
The ‘Paalan 1000 – Journey of the First 1000 Days’, focuses on the cognitive developments of children in the first 2 years of its life. The app will provide caregiver with practical advice on what they can do in their everyday routine and will help resolving the various doubts of parents and will direct our efforts in the development of child. (IANS)
