In contrast to other countries, India did not carry out massive tetanus vaccination campaigns and the government instead applied a mix of strategies which included a state by state and system approach starting in 2003 in Andhra Pradesh, with the technical support of UNICEF, WHO and other stakeholders. What this translates into is this: “India is likely to reach close to achieving the MDG target if the current trend of annual decline is sustained”, he said.
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The 3rd Global Call to Action 2015 is being hosted for the first time in India, and outside the USA. (Since tetanus can not be completely eradicated, elimination is defined as less than one percent of every 1,000 live births.) Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO regional director for Southeast Asia, said in a statement this was “a huge achievement for India which until a few decades ago reported 150,000 to 200,000 neonatal tetanus cases annually”.
Modi said the event will help the developing countries to tackle health challenges related to women and child.
Sheikh Aboobacker Ahmed Musliar, General Secretary of All India Muslim Scholars Association and Hazrat Syed Mehndi Chishty, functionary of the Dargah-e-Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty, Ajmer Sharif were also part of the delegation, the PMO said. He said, “We need systems in place through which marginalised communities receive Universal Health Care”.
Mr. Modi also spoke on the Kayakalp scheme, under the ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan’ to encourage public health facilities to maintain high standards of hygiene and sanitation.
The 24 priority countries participating in the Summit today contribute almost 70 per cent of the preventable maternal and child deaths.
The Prime Minister added that India wanted to ensure that no child in the country dies of diseases which can be prevented by vaccination.
Apart from discussing the prime minister’s possible meeting with the US president, they also discussed about India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue, which too will be held in Washington DC next month.
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The accentuating role of National Health Mission which launched the RMNCH+A programme, to improve health of mothers and children in both urban and rural areas, was also spoken upon in great detail by him. “We could train personnel for better management of child sickness as well as share our experience at home-based newborn care”, Modi said.
