Nabarangpur, Feb, 25: A district-level joint review meeting of the Health and Social Welfare Departments regarding the health and nutrition of women and children was held at the local Mission Shakti Conference Hall under the chairmanship of District Collector Maheswar Swain.
During the meeting, the Collector reviewed various indicators of the Health and Women & Child Development Departments. He placed special emphasis on preventing child marriage and teenage pregnancy. He issued strict instructions that if such incidents occur anywhere in the district, an FIR must be immediately lodged with the police against the concerned family members.
Expressing serious concern over the low number of institutional deliveries in the remote areas of Tentulikhunti and Jharigam blocks, the Collector directed the concerned officials and ASHA workers to conduct field visits and take strong corrective measures. He also instructed that an additional “Maa Gruha” (Maternity Waiting Home) be made functional there and directed the district health department to send a proposal to the State Mission Director.
To make the Take-Home Ration (THR) nutrition programme more effective, the Sub-Collector was directed to conduct surprise inspections of Anganwadi centres to ensure proper implementation.
Giving top priority to preventing maternal and child deaths in the district, the Collector stated that if negligence by any employee is proven in cases of maternal death, immediate departmental action will be taken against them. Two maternal death cases were reviewed in the meeting and necessary instructions were issued.
The Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCH+A) programme was also reviewed, and special directions were given to improve key indicators. Officials were instructed to identify and refer more Severely Acute Malnourished (SAM) children to the Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs) in Umerkote and Nabarangpur and ensure 100% bed occupancy.
Among others present at the meeting were Chief Development Officer of Zilla Parishad Biranchi Narayan Darwan, Sub-Collector Prakash Kumar Mishra, Chief District Medical Officer Dr. Malay Pradhan, Additional District Medical Officer Dr. Malay Kumar Tripathy, District Social Welfare Officer Draupadi Kahar, district-level officials, Superintendents of all Community Health Centres, gynecologists, DPM (NHM) Shankar Acharya, District Programme Manager (Health), all CDPOs of the Women & Child Development Department, and field-level health staff.
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