Read, Digital Desk : The central government will launch a new national program on Monday to improve care in the first three years of life. Newborns and young children at high health risk will receive more advanced home care, including additional follow-up visits by frontline health workers.
Health Minister J.P. Nadda will launch the “Comprehensive Child Health Program” during a meeting of the Central Council of Health and Family Welfare. The program brings together existing schemes like “Home-Based Newborn Care” and “Home-Based Care for Young Children” under a single framework, covering children from birth to 36 months.
Introducing a risk-based care model for the first time
This program is the first to introduce a risk-based care model. At-risk newborns will receive up to nine home visits in the first 42 days of life, while at-risk children will receive up to eight visits until they reach three years of age.
These additional visits aim to ensure early identification of health problems, timely referrals, and better monitoring of vulnerable children. The program will also strengthen coordination between ASHA workers, auxiliary nurse midwives, community health officers, and Anganwadi workers through joint home visits.
Child health sessions will be conducted
This will include child health sessions being conducted during village health, sanitation and nutrition days and monthly child camps to identify and monitor children requiring extra care.
Another important initiative, the Comprehensive Child Health Programme incorporates postnatal maternal mental health screening into routine community care and integrates nutritional care for early child development by promoting sensitive care, early education, age-appropriate play and family engagement during home visits.
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