AIIMS, Johns Hopkins varsity keen to help cut newborn deaths

BHOPAL: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) - Bhopal along with the famous Johns Hopkins University wants to replicate the Uttar Pradesh model in Madhya Pradesh to reduce neonatal mortality.
“We want to bring a tested programme and a tested team along with the social tools from Johns Hopkins to Madhya Pradesh,” Dr Sandeep Kumar, AIIMS-Bhopal director, told TOI.
Through community mobilization and behaviour change communications, a 54% reduction was achieved by the group in 299 villages of Uttar Pradesh. AIIMS-Bhopal and Johns Hopkins representatives will make a presentation before the chief minister on the project on August 6.
Formative analysis and ethnographic studies would be carried out and then tools specific to Madhya Pradesh would be developed, he added.
Despite a five point drop last year, infant mortality rate in Madhya Pradesh is the highest with 62 deaths per 1000. Maternal mortality stands at 379 deaths per 100,000 live births.
“By simply educating pregnant mothers and their in-laws against high risk birth practices we can spearhead the fight against infant mortality,” said Dr Saroj Mohanty, research co-ordinator for the Johns Hopkins University (collaborative project).
Proposing to emulate lessons learnt from the success of ‘Saksham project’ in Rai Bareli district of UP, Dr Mohanty said that proposal entails the training of Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) under the national rural health mission (NRHM).
Auditing of ASHA programme is a part of the proposal. “ASHA has improved care but it should be bettered,” he added. Sources suggest the AIIMS-Bhopal is inclined to carry out the pilot project in a neighbouring district.