“Superior outcomes in health care in India will be better achieved with innovations in health practices and products, and I urge states to give priority to innovations and best practices” stated Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, while inaugurating the National Summit on Best Practices and Innovations in Healthcare in India, here today. The 3-day National Summit is being organized by the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare with support from the Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of Himachal Pradesh. At the National Summit, the Health Minister launched the National Health Innovations Portal which will be a repository of all innovations contributed by the states. The Health Minister also launched a voice-based web portal for 24*7 toll-free health services. The NHP Voice Web is a 24X7 toll free helpline (1800-180-1104) wherein the caller can get authentic health on various topics ranging from handy health tips, disease based information, Government health policies and programs, health facilities around you, career options for students and other health related information.
This advanced system is capable of recognizing user voice input and currently the information is available in five languages namely English, Hindi, Tamil, Bangla and Gujarati; more Indian languages would be covered. The intent of using telephone technology as a medium to disseminate information is to reach out to masses in remote locations, where there is no internet access thus overcoming the barrier of illiteracy. Addressing the participants which included Principal Secretaries (Health) and Mission Directors, National Health Mission (NHM) from the states, the Health Minister stated that the summit is an effort to systematically identify innovations which can have a high impact to address morbidity and mortality and facilitate their prompt scale up through a platform, which would provide repository, learnings, information on enabling milieu and cross-learnings. He added that although some formidable challenges still need to be addressed in many states due to lack of sturdy infrastructure, shortage of skilled manpower to man the PHCs and CHCs, and procurement issues among other things, the National Health Mission has achieved significant and commendable health outcomes covering reduction in IMR, MMR, TFR and providing health care to marginalized sections and far fling areas of the country.
He further stated that while health is a state subject, the Centre is committed to providing all assistance and resources to the states in achieving health outcomes which is dependent on a sturdy and meaningful partnership between the states and the Centre. Shri Nadda stated that under the leadership of the Prime Minister, the country is progressing on a path of a constructive cooperative federalism where the states take the lead in designing and implementing programmes and schemes for the benefit of the masses. The Health Minister further stated Mission Indradhanush, three rounds of which have been completed and the fourth round will soon commence from 7th July 2015, has resulted in immunization of more than 57 lakh children and more than 8 lakh pregnant women. About 14.5 lakh children have been fully immunized against seven vaccine preventable diseases.
This the Minister stated could not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of the frontline health workers who have been at the forefront of the health programs in the country. He added that their insights and inputs should be taken in designing innovations and drafting best practices, as they are the best repositories of experience and knowledge at the cutting edge of implementation of any program. At the Summit, as many as 110 innovations and best practices are being showcased. Nadda also released guidelines prepared by the Union Ministry for Health & Family Welfare for the Rogi Kalyan Samitis functioning in the states and for disbursal of free drugs in the states. The Health Minister gave away awards to best practices from various states. The award for maternal health outcomes was given away to Maharashtra followed by Andhra Pradesh and Haryana. In the category of Newborn Survival, Kerala bagged the first prize, while the second and third were given away to Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Senior officers from the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare including Shri C K Mishra, AS&MD; Shri Manoj Jhalani, JS (P); Dr Rakesh Kumar, JS (RCH, IEC) along with representatives from the states, technical and donor partners of the Ministry participated in the National Summit.