BWI: CM Launches HAUSLA Campaign to Reduce Maternal and Child Mortality in UP

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: HAUSLA
Monday, July 15, 2013 03:42 PM IST (10:12 AM GMT)
Editors: General: People, Politics, Social issues; Business: Business services, Media & entertainment; Healthcare
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CM Launches HAUSLA Campaign to Reduce Maternal and Child Mortality in UP


Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, Monday, July 15, 2013 -- (Business Wire India) -- In an ambitious move, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Akhilesh Yadav, today launched a high-profile state-wide campaign to improve family health across 75 districts of the state. More than 500 dignitaries including high-level government officials, bureaucrats, leading social figures, celebrities, and media representatives attended the launch.

The Chief Minister said that "My government is fully committed to deliver on our promises for family health in the state," and he added "better health for our mothers and children spells a better future for the whole state."

"HAUSLA comes at an opportune time -- when the state is already showing political commitment to protect the lives and safeguard the health of women and children. Through innovations and interventions, HAUSLA will reach even the remotest corners of Uttar Pradesh, with a focus on equity so that no mother and child are left behind," said Sri Ahmad Hassan, Health Minster UP.

Called HAUSLA (meaning "spirit" or "determination"), the campaign's twin goals include galvanizing state health systems to deliver high-quality, accessible health programs and services, while also increasing awareness and utilization of services by families and communities across the state's 75 districts.

To achieve its goal, HAUSLA will strengthen health systems and the supply of programs and services, while also increasing awareness and utilization of these programs by families.

The government has already set in motion a comprehensive set of health programmes and services based on the "Reproductive, Maternal, Child Health and Adolescents+" (RMNCHA+) framework which was formally adopted by the Government of India early this year.

While mobilizing inter-sectorial coordination for optimal service delivery, the campaign will specifically focus on the "(-9 Month to 2 Year)" (women from the time of conception through to when the child is 2 years) most critical window of opportunity for providing health interventions that can have lasting, life-long impacts.

Under the campaign umbrella, Government of UP will undertake a series of measures to tackle the current shortage of human resources for health and skills-based training; Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and other local representatives will be mobilised to monitor the availability and quality of health programs, and to voice the concerns of communities. Government functionaries at all levels - top down - from state to block and village level will be overseeing regular implementation and monitoring of schemes.

In launching the campaign, the government is acknowledging the urgent need for action to improve the state of women's and children's health and nutrition in UP. Three-quarters of babies in the state are born at home, rather than in a medical institution where childbirth is safer. Fewer than half of children in the state have received full immunisation, and almost half are underweight.

Uttar Pradesh has already demonstrated to the world that it can surmount daunting challenges - the recent example of polio-eradication in UP is a global success. In just one year, the state has reduced maternal mortality from 348 per lakh mothers in 2010-2011 to 300 in 2011-12 (AHS data). Under-five mortality is also down from 94 to 92 per thousand live births in that same period (AHS data).

However pointing out that these state averages mask huge disparities and inequities in some of the districts Chief Minister said, "Our aim is to reach mothers and children in the remotest villages so that all families can prosper.''

HAUSLA is the latest in a series of steps that the state government has taken to bolster its political commitment to reducing maternal and child mortality and morbidity. In April, The GoUP declared 2013 as the Year of the Newborn, while also launching a Nutrition Mission, and announcing the formulation of a policy on Human Resources for Health to address staffing and capacity issues. The HAUSLA campaign theme song, "Mujhse Bada Mera Hausla", is sung by popular Bollywood singer Shaan.

To view the photograph, please click on the link given below:

Hon'ble Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Shri Akhilesh Yadav launching Hausla - a campaign to reduce maternal and child mortality in the State

For picture(s)/data to illustrate this release click below:

http://www.BusinessWireIndia.com/attachments/IMG_1(26).bmp
Hon'ble Chif Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Akhilesh Yadav launching Hausla - a campaign to reduce maternal and child mortality in the State


CONTACT DETAILS
Namrata Bhalla, Footprint Global Communications, +91 9873169803, namrata.bhalla@footprintglobal.com
Anand Krishna, Lucknow, +91 9450004807, preference.pr@gmail.com

KEYWORDS
PEOPLE, POLITICS, SOCIAL, BUSINESS SERVICES, MEDIA, HEALTHCARE

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