Correct Answer : 15 November to 21 November
In India, National Newborn Week is celebrated every year from 15 to 21 November. This week aims to reinforce the importance of neonatal health as a priority area of the health sector and reduce infant mortality by improving health care conditions for infants in the neonatal period. The main purpose of celebrating this week is to raise awareness about the care of newborn babies.
National Newborn Week 2022 Theme : The theme of this week is ‘Safety, Quality and Nurturing Care – Every Newborn’s Birth Right’. This year’s theme for NNW has been chosen to ensure reaching every newborn with quality and developmentally supportive health care services rendering safety and dignity at all service delivery platforms – Health Facilities, Community Outreach Sessions, and Homes etc.
The neonatal period (first 28 days of life) is the most crucial and alarming period for child survival as this period carries the highest risk of deaths per day than any other period during the childhood. The first month of life is also a foundational period for lifelong health and development. Healthy ones grow into healthy adults who can thrive and contribute to their communities and societies.
Main causes of newborn death :
* Prematurity.
* Severe infections.
* Complications during birth.
The major causes of newborn deaths in India are pre-maturity/preterm (35%), neonatal infections (33%), intra-partum related complications/ birth asphyxia (20%), and congenital malformations (9%).
India Newborn Action Plan (INAP) : INAP was launched in September 2014, for accelerating the reduction of preventable newborn deaths and stillbirths in the country – with the goal of attaining ‘Single Digit Neo-natal Mortality Rate (NMR) by 2030’ and ‘Single Digit Still Birth Rate (SBR) by 2030’. Currently, there are estimated 7.47 lakh neonatal deaths annually. The neo-natal deaths are expected to reduce to below 2.28 lakh annually by 2030, once the goal is achieved.
The India Newborn Action Plan (INAP) is India’s committed response to the Global Every Newborn Action Plan (ENAP), launched in June 2014 at the 67th World Health Assembly, to advance the Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health.
