Infosys Foundation’s Post

Every mother and child deserve the best care during the prenatal and postnatal periods. While hospitals and clinics provide these critical services, some women opt for home births, which leads to higher child and maternal mortality rates and health risks. To address this issue and encourage women to opt for institutional births, India is making strides toward improving #maternalhealth, led by interventions under the National Health Mission. As lack of funds is the primary reason why women choose home deliveries, cash assistance is provided for delivery and post-delivery care through the Janani Suraksha Yojana. Additionally, the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram was introduced where deliveries are free. The Indian government is actively promoting institutional deliveries among those from underprivileged backgrounds. As a result, institutional deliveries have surged from 79% to 89% from the past six years, as per the National Family Health Survey-4 (2015-16) and NFHS-5 (2019-21). #InfosysFoundation is also committed to empowering mothers and newborns, by ensuring that quality care is accessible and affordable throughout the country. Our partnerships with C-CAMP and Sangath are positively impacting maternal care. From technological advancements to mental health support, we are ensuring every mother receives the care she deserves. We further aim to elevate #healthcare standards by reconstructing the Infant and Maternity Hospital in Karnataka. Together, we are building a healthier India, one mother and child at a time. #InfosysCSR

Boosting Maternal Care in Rajasthan!🏥🤱 In India, over 1.3 million women have died from maternal causes in the past two decades. Only recently has the importance of pregnancy, maternal, child care, and post-partum health begun to receive the attention it deserves. RAF Global is dedicated to improving healthcare access for marginalized communities, with a particular focus on rural women. Their efforts are concentrated in the Jaisalmer and Barmer districts, where they provide critical support to Health Sub-Centres and Community Health Centres (CHCs). These facilities often face significant challenges, including inadequate medical infrastructure and a lack of essential supplies. These issues are compounded by the vast distances and communication barriers that make it difficult for rural populations to access necessary health services. 💯 In response to these challenges, RAF Global has been working tirelessly to enhance the capabilities of these Health Sub-Centres. Their goal is to transform these facilities into SMART Sub-Centres, which are equipped with improved infrastructure, better health services, and extended outreach. By addressing these key issues, RAF Global aims to provide more reliable and accessible healthcare to the communities they serve, reducing the reliance on under-equipped facilities and bridging the gap in healthcare access for rural women and other marginalized groups. 🌟👩⚕️👶

Published in February 2024, the #nitiaayog paper "Senior Care Reforms in India - Reimagining the #seniorcare Paradigm: A Position Paper" delves on the developments that have taken place in India's senior care system. A growing proportion of the world's population is over 60 years old, a trend known as population #ageing . The share of the #population that is 65 and over is growing rapidly in India; at present, this group accounts for around 10% of the total population. By 2050, this group is expected to account for 19.5% of the overall population. It is critical to tackle the issues associated with the world's ageing population as this trend persists on a #global scale. A rise in #healthcare expenses, an increase in the demand for long-term care facilities, and a burden on social security systems are all examples of this challenge. Innovations that help the #elderly continue living independently and with a high quality of life are also in high demand. The report does an outstanding job of outlining the many initiatives undertaken by various government agencies in #india to improve the lives of the country's ageing #population , as well as the many #nonprofitorganization (NGOs), private companies (PSUs), and industry groups (ICAs) that are involved in this field of care, the tools available to assist with this care, the current state of #geriatrics education and certification, recommended diets for the elderly, and #vaccine recommendations. However, there is still a lot of ground to cover in terms of #digital #inclusion and #empowerment , public #homecare services, #selfcare and #caregivers strengthening, and, most importantly, encouraging #convergence across sectors.

In Gujarat, the tribal population constitutes 14.8% of the overall population, with approximately 89.17 lakh individuals residing in 14 districts. Thus, the provision of accessible and timely healthcare, especially pregnancy care, is necessary for the well-being and development of the tribal communities. Using geospatial analysis to study the distribution and accessibility of public healthcare facilities in tribal regions of Gujarat, we find that there are significant distribution and population density biases in public health facilities against tribal regions and border districts, blocks, and villages. Furthermore, the location and distribution of public health centres are suboptimal in most tribal-populated districts, resulting in inadequate pregnancy care. https://lnkd.in/dYUn_fGg

#MomentInFocus: 'First Breath: Newborn at Meliaputti PHC' (Photo: Abhishek Reddy) Nearly 40 per cent of newborn deaths and half of maternal deaths happen on the day a child is born (Unicef). Maternal delivery without skilled care at birth is a serious public health concern. Strong public healthcare facilities and availability of skilled birth attendants will improve public confidence in institutional deliveries. A major focus area of our Primary Health Centre upgradation works is maternal and newborn care at facility level. The project, in collaboration with Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, ensures: a. Availability of essential labour room equipment and consumables as per IPHS Standards-2022 b. Organisation of labour rooms as per NQAS and laQshya standards c. Availability of Skilled Birth Attendant (SBA) during childbirth d. Training of staff of labour room organization, management, use of SOPs and protocols including emergency obstetric care and essential new-born care We upgraded 11 PHCs in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh and we aim to extend the coverage to 2 million rural population using a district-wide coverage approach. #health #healthcare #primarycare #children #impact #Sustainability #SDGs #PhotoOfTheDay #drreddysfoundation

#FridayFact: Improving rural maternal health is vital for equitable care access. Addressing unique challenges such as provider shortages and transportation barriers is essential for ensuring safe pregnancies and births in rural communities. To learn more: https://loom.ly/_wMG7Vs

*NATIONAL SAFE MOTHERHOOD DAY* *APRIL 11* *THEME - 'ACCESS IN CRISIS'* *India observes NATIONAL SAFE MOTHERHOOD DAY on April 11 each year to promote Maternal Health and Reduce Maternal Mortality rates in the Country. The Indian Government declared KASTURBA GANDHI'S BIRTHDAY, April 11, as National Safe Motherhood Day.* *India is among the world's most dangerous countries to give birth, representing 15% of all maternal deaths globally. In India, 44,000 women die each year as a result of poor prenatal care, almost 850 deaths per day according to WHO. To combat this Govt Of India introduced various schemes include Janani Suraksha Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, Muthulakshmi Maternity Benefit Scheme, and Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram.* *This day also focuses on reducing ANAEMIA among WOMEN, Institutional Delivery, Better Pre and Post-Natal health care etc, which are necessary for Mothers.* *India became the first country to announced and declared a National Safe Motherhood Day.*

This week, Madhukar Kumar Bhagat (Joint Secretary in MoH, India) at the 21st Indo-US Economic Summit focused on the theme "Public-Private Partnerships" stressing that PPPs should prioritize the availability, affordability, and access to quality healthcare. In Assam, Nivi, Inc.'s work with the Population Council, Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research, Guwahati Obstetric & Gynaecological Society, CEntre for North East Studies and Policy Research (C-NES) under the Strengthening Systems for Safer Childbirth (S3C) initiative by MSD for Mothers is focussed on precisely that! Highlights from the e-SAATHI engagement in Assam - 1️⃣ Availability: The Maternal Health journey on #askNivi can now be accessed via 170+ public and private facilities. Through online and offline campaigns, it has engaged over 19,500 pregnant and 4,800 postpartum women to raise awareness about caring for themselves during pregnancy and their children's health after birth. ~16710+ women onboarded the askNivi chatbot to get weekly updates. 2️⃣ Access to Quality Healthcare: askNivi periodically reminds subscribers of the MH journey for Antenatal and Postnatal Care visits, following up with messages to gather feedback on their visits. This collects valuable data points to determine the Quality of Care women receive at these facilities. We work with facilities to improve aspects where the feedback isn't favorable to ensure Respectful Maternal Care for all mothers. ~9300 ANC visits reminded and ~8500 visits facilitated already. 3️⃣ Affordability: askNivi's referrals are always based upon the users' situation and context. Suppose our users highlight financial barriers to accessing care. In that case, we prioritize referrals to public facilities where they can receive care free of cost or at subsidized rates to ensure they receive the care they need, when they need it. ✅ Government endorsements for Nivi's work in Assam demonstrate the credibility and the ability to deliver impactful healthcare solutions in public health facilities, extending access to healthcare for all, especially underserved and remote communities. ✨ We have more exciting news coming very soon: we'll launch the Maternal Health Journey in another state in India with a pilot in 2 Public Health facilities. Stay tuned to catch the update! ✨ Sowmya Ramesh Pompy Sridhar Ashita Munjral Sanjana Jain Ragini Ahluwalia Siddhartha Goyal Ben Bellows Mark Allen Sriya Srikrishnan Namrata Goswami Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India ETHealthWorld https://lnkd.in/dKTzhyzh

In a small town in western Nepal, a simple solution is creating waves of positive change. A portable ultrasound machine is bringing essential medical services to people's doorsteps. Before, a basic checkup required: ➡️ A 3–4 hour, expensive trip to the district hospital. ➡️ It costs upwards of 5,000 rupees, a significant burden for local families. ➡️ Women often faced arduous journeys to reach health centres. Now, for elders, pregnant women, and the entire community: ✅ Diagnostic tools and checkups are readily available. ✅ Trust in the local health system has grown with access to advanced technology. The town’s health centre even reports: ✔️ Increased demand for health services due to the new ultrasound machine. ✔️ Reduced pregnancy risks and lower maternal mortality rates. But this is the best impact👇 When mothers show up for checkups, so do their children. This leads to higher immunisation rates. One small step. #Widespread change. Let's bring such innovative solutions to our healthcare systems. Imagine the impact! #HealthcareInnovation #RemoteHealth #PublicHealth #Community #Innovation

"Around four out of five of these deaths “are likely preventable,” the report states, suggesting that the U.S. could save lives through several societal and institutional changes, including shifting toward a universal form of health care. Examining the U.S. rate of deaths for pregnant people in the year 2022 — the most recent data available — shows that 22.3 individuals died for every 100,000 live births that occurred. That rate is 395 percent higher than the median rate of wealthy nations, for which 4.5 deaths per 100,000 were observed, using the most recent data available in all countries." #universalhealthcare #maternalmortality https://lnkd.in/gkBW2qyV