NHM Rajasthan, Jhpiego join hands for digitization of Reproductive and Child Health services

Jaipur: To provide the women and children of Rajasthan with improved health care, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between the National Health Mission (NHM) Rajasthan and the Johns Hopkins Programme for International Education in Gynaecology and Obstetrics (Jhpiego).

One of the prime focuses of the National Health Mission is to reduce infant mortality rates (IMR), and maternal mortality rates (MMR) and to ensure quality services to pregnant women and children across the country. Capturing information in an integrated reporting system is equally important for evidence-based decision-making.

It was in light of the above Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, the Government of India designed an innovative name-based system i.e. Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) portal to capture information on all RCH-related services including family planning, maternal health, Child health and immunization.

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Reproductive & Child Health (RCH) "An augmented version of MCTS" application has been designed for early identification and tracking of the individual beneficiary throughout the reproductive lifecycle. The application facilitates timely delivery of full components of antenatal, postnatal & delivery services and tracking of children for complete immunization services.   

More than a decade of research has shown that small and affordable measures can significantly, reduce the health risks that women face when they become pregnant. Most maternal deaths could be prevented if women had access to appropriate health care during pregnancy, childbirth and immediately afterwards.

Therefore, both the international institute and NHM have joined hands together to implement a project of digitalising RCH services in the state. Rajasthan will become the first state to start such a project for the benefit of pregnant women and children. The initiative will ensure real-time monitoring of RCH services.

Among the activities covered by the MoU are the digitization of clinical care and maternal health services of institutional deliveries in high-load hospitals. 

Additional Chief Secretary (Medical & Health) Shubhra Singh informed TH, "It would facilitate prompt updating of the data in the pregnancy, child tracking and health services management system (PCTS). During the initial phase, the auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) in Bundi, Karauli and Udaipur districts will be given a kit with digital devices, with which they will register their health reports directly in the PCTS through their mobile phones."

During safe motherhood day, every Thursday, pregnant women will have access to the testing facilities near their homes.

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