Thoubal, 29th January 2013
Shri H. Rishikesh Sharma, District Programme Manager, National Rural Health Mission, Thoubal district, said that one of the most important flagship programmes launched by the Government of India is the National Rural Health Mission(NRHM).
Shri Rishikesh Sharma was speaking as a resource person during the morning session of the three-day Bharat Nirman Campaign which began today at the Mini Secretariat Hall, DC Complex, Thoubal in Manipur.
He said, though the NRHM was launched in 2005 elsewhere in the country, it was first implemented in Manipur only in 2006. Yet the programme is fully implemented in every nook and corner of Manipur.
Shri Rishikesh Sharma said, the health of a nation can be measured through the health of the mothers and infants. When the Maternal Mortality Rate(MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate(IMR) can be reduced considerably, the health of a nation can be said to be improved significantly. It is really remarkable that the MMR used to account for 375, nearly 400 in one lakh delivery in Manipur in 2005 before the NRHM was officially launched in the state. But today it has been brought down to 120. The IMR in Manipur used to be quite high in 2005, but today it has been reduced to 12. The target is below 10.Expressing serious concern over the ever increasing population in the minority community in Manipur, especially in Thoubal district , the resource person said that there are a number of families in the district where the family members easily claimed that the number of members in the family is ONLY 12. Besides there are areas starting from 100 meters on either side from the National Highway that passes through Thoubal town, where many consider the age of 13 of a girl as too late for marriage. It is very common that a girl is married off at the age of 15 in these areas in Thoubal district. In such scenario, the NRHM, Thoubal is making all out efforts to spread awareness among the people the health hazards that may come from getting married early.The resource person also highlighted the various benefits provided under Janani Suraksha Yojana(JSY) and Janani Suraksha Karikrama (JSK). He appealed to the women, especially the expectant mothers to choose the hospitals for delivery as the hospitals are the safest place for child delivery.An interaction programme was also held between the audience and the resource person.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/mmr-imr-considerably-reduced-in-manipur/
