TAWANG, 7 Nov: A ‘regional review workshop for Northeastern states on family planning’ was organised here by the State Health Society (NHM), in collaboration with the union ministry of health & family welfare (MoHFW), on Monday.
Addressing the delegates from the MoHFW and from Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Sikkim, Family Welfare Director Dr Emi Rumi urged the health & wellness officers (HWO), ASHAs, ANMs and other field-level workers to work sincerely and provide health services to the people.
‘Nayi pehal’ kits under ‘Mission Parivar Vikas’ were also launched during the inaugural session.
Union MoHFW adviser Dr SK Sikdar raised the issue of maternal health and family planning in the Northeastern states, and said that “the management of
health human resource is very important for proper and effective health service delivery.”
He said that health programmes should be promoted in the rural areas, and that “ANM cadre should be upgraded with proper training, so that they work efficiently and perform the handholding of the AHSAs.”
Selection and training of HWOs should be done properly and all the HWOs should be posted only at health & wellness centres, he said.
“The HWOs should be well acquainted with the information and data of each and every village under their jurisdictions,” he said, adding that “every delivery in the village is to be attended by an HWO and ANMs,” and that “ASHAs should ensure that they provide services to the eligible couples, pregnant women, and children.”
Regarding funds, Dr Sikdar said that “the Centre supports the states with all available resources, as proposed by the states, and the funds should be utilised meticulously.”
He said that, based on available data, “it is observed that the total fertility rate is higher in rural areas and less in urban areas,” and asked the states to prepare plans and policies accordingly.
“Prevalence of teenage marriages in the Northeastern states is also an area of concern,” Dr Sikdar said, and advocated promoting family planning services.
“It must be ensured that family planning services are reviewed and monitored from time to time at the district and the state levels to reduce the unmet needs for family planning in the states,” he said. (DIPRO)
