Under Trinamool Congress Govt, health indicators for children improving rapidly

Kolkata, Aug 29: The health indicators for children in Bengal are improving rapidly under the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress Government, according to information gathered from the State Health Ministry. The Chief Minister also holds the health portfolio. The infant mortality rate (the number of infants dying per thousand births) has gone down to 26, from 33 in 2011. The percentage of institutional delivery has risen from 65 per cent to a huge 92 per cent. These improvements have been the result of a massive thrust on the health infrastructural front. The State Government has set up 307 sick newborn stabilisation units (SNSU), the number of which was zero before the Trinamool Congress Government came to power. Another big improvement has been in the number of sick newborn care units (SNCU), which has increased from six to 67 under the Trinamool Congress Government. Then, in some remote places, Waiting Huts have been built for mothers to deliver children in. These huts are equipped with proper equipment along with housing doctors and nurses on a permanent basis. Mother and Child Hubs (MCH) have come up in many hospitals. Plans for 16 more are in the pipeline. Facilities for treatment of children are available in 561 hospitals.UNI