Lucknow: The ‘firsts’ for a newborn baby are crucial in many ways. Like the first minute, first hour and first week of the child’s birth, the first year of birth is also paramount as a large number of children are unable to celebrate their first birthdays, said deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak on Monday, referring to infant mortality. “We need to take strong steps to curtail the infant mortality rate,” said Pathak, at the Veerangana Jhalkari Bai women’s hospital to inaugurate its newly constructed pathology.
“To reduce infant mortality rate, it is important that women are provided safe institutionalised delivery. The newborn should be kept in the hospital for the first 48 hours at least and be discharged only after vaccination,” the deputy CM said.
State health minister Mayankeshwar Sharan Singh added, “Services in government hospitals are being improved but there is more patient pressure than the resources. Government hospitals are working against low resources and saving lives.”
Hospital chief medical superintendent Dr Ranjana Khare said that with the new pathology, advanced testing facilities would be provided to patients.