ICMR researching model to reduce stillbirths, government informs Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: The ICMR has undertaken research to develop an optimised model of comprehensive intervention package and delivery strategies to reduce stillbirths, Union Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

The apex health research institute is also working on a project to build evidence and design solutions on preventing stillbirths, Jadhav said.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) informed that neonatal mortality has been identified as a national health research priority and it has undertaken several key research projects on the health of newborns and children, the minister said.

Among its prominent initiatives, the ICMR has undertaken the "Sankalp" programme for strengthening, implementing and monitoring the target of achieving single-digit neonatal mortality.

He said, "It (ICMR) has also undertaken research to develop an optimised model of comprehensive intervention package and delivery strategies to reduce stillbirth, and a project on building evidence and designing solutions to prevent stillbirths in India -- a collaborative approach to analyse pregnancy cohorts." The ICMR, through its centres for advanced research, has undertaken multiple implementation research projects.

One of its studies, completed in August, demonstrated that the mutation profiles of childhood respiratory diseases specific to the Indian population were different as compared to western data.

It conducted important studies on paediatric kidney diseases and intravenous antibiotics in the treatment of uncomplicated neonatal bacterial sepsis.

The ICMR undertook the First Thousand Days of Life project with an aim to design, implement and optimise a model to provide comprehensive care across the first 1,000 days of life, Jadhav said.

The National Institute for Research in Reproductive and Child Health (NIRRCH), an ICMR institute, has undertaken a multi-centric study on newborn sickle screening programme in seven sites of six states -- Rajasthan, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat -- having a high prevalence of sickle cell disease since 2019.

ICMR-NIRRCH has undertaken other studies, including on population-based birth defect surveillance in linkage with the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram programme in rural blocks of Maharashtra's Palghar district, in collaboration with the state health system, Jadhav said.

Besides, several other projects for the health of newborns and children have been funded by ICMR under its intermediate, small and ad-hoc grants spread over various states.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare supports all states and Union territories in implementation of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition strategy under the National Health Mission based on the Annual Programme Implementation Plan submitted by the states and Union territories.

All the interventions to improve newborn and child health outcomes are implemented universally in all the states and Union territories, with special focus on the tribal and marginalised population, without any discrimination on gender, caste and religion, the minister said.

The ICMR regularly organises meetings and consultations with stakeholders, including national/state paediatric associations, non-profit organisations, national and international collaborators on newborn and child health research, he added.