JP Nadda to chair Central Health Council Conference in Delhi today
New Delhi, June 29
In a major push to strengthen child healthcare and review key public health priorities, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J P Nadda will chair the 16th Conference of the Central Council of Health and Family Welfare in the national capital on Monday.
During the conference, the minister will also launch the Samagra Shishu Bal Swasthya Karyakram (SSBSK), a comprehensive national programme aimed at providing seamless healthcare services to children from birth up to 36 months of age.
The conference, to be held at Vigyan Bhawan, will be attended by Health Ministers from states and Union Territories, Members of Parliament, and senior officials from the central and state governments. Discussions will focus on key issues related to the National Health Mission, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), food and drug reforms, and allied health services.
According to an official statement, the launch of the SSBSK marks a significant milestone in advancing the government's commitment to ensuring comprehensive, accessible and quality healthcare for every child across the country.
The programme envisages providing a seamless continuum of home and community-based care for children from birth to 36 months of age. It recognises the critical importance of the first three years of life for child survival, growth, nutrition and early brain development.
The SSBSK will serve as a unified national programme by consolidating the two flagship community-based initiatives, Home-Based Newborn Care (HBNC) and Home-Based Care for Young Child (HBYC), into a single comprehensive framework.
By integrating these programmes, SSBSK aims to ensure continuity of care from birth through the first three years of life, strengthening child survival, nutrition, healthy growth and early childhood development through an integrated approach.
For the first time, the programme will introduce a risk-stratified approach for newborns and children identified as "At-risk". These children will receive intensified follow-up through additional home visits based on their level of risk.
Under the programme, "At-risk" newborns will receive up to nine home visits during the first 42 days after birth, while "At-risk" children will receive up to eight home visits up to 36 months of age.
The programme will also strengthen continuity of care through joint home visits by Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), Community Health Officers (CHOs) and Anganwadi Workers (AWWs).
In addition, SSBSK will introduce Well-Baby Sessions during every Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Day (VHSND) and a monthly Shishu Shivir at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs for the early identification, assessment and management of "At-risk" children.
The programme will incorporate post-partum maternal mental health screening as a structured component of community-based care. It will also integrate nurturing care for Early Childhood Development (ECD) across all home visits and community interactions by promoting responsive caregiving, early learning, age-appropriate play, child safety and greater family engagement.
According to the statement, the programme will leverage digital technologies through Decision-Support Systems (DSS), child-tracking applications, referral loops, and alert mechanisms to strengthen monitoring, improve follow-up, and ensure continuity of care for mothers and children.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good initiative, but I'm concerned about the on-ground execution. Our ASHA workers are already overburdened. Will they get proper training and compensation for these additional home visits? Also, integrating mental health screening is a thoughtful addition. Let's see how it plays out.
About time we had a unified programme for child health! The separate HBNC and HBYC programmes always created confusion. Hope this consolidation actually improves coordination between ASHAs, ANMs and AWWs. Digital tracking with decision-support systems could be a game-changer if properly implemented.
The focus on first 36 months is absolutely critical - that's when brain development peaks! I'm particularly impressed by the Well-Baby Sessions and monthly Shishu Shivir at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. But we need widespread awareness campaigns so families actually bring their children to these sessions.
I appreciate the holistic approach - addressing not just physical health but also nutrition, early learning, and maternal mental health. However, we've seen many government programmes look good on paper but fail due to lack of accountability. Regular audits and community feedback mechanisms are a must.
As a first-time mother, I'm relieved to see maternal mental health screening included. Postpartum depression is so common but rarely addressed in our country. The focus on responsive caregiving and early learning is wonderful too. Let's hope this doesn't remain just a policy document.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.