Notes on visit to West Bengal IPGME & R and Districts

Madhya Pradesh is plagued by very high infant mortality of 72 as per SRS

Oct 2008. State and its leaders have been constantly engaged with professionals
and experts in field to find a solution to this daunting problem.
After the JSY era Madhya Pradesh witnessed an unprecedented rise in its
institutional delivery rate. Though efficient and effective no of CEMONC
institutions remain a challenge.
Experience of West Bengal in using SNCU as an effective strategy for
reducing neo-natal mortality was thought to be utilized for Madhya Pradesh.
Madhya Pradesh has already functioning SNCU level-2 in its 2 districts Guna
and Shivpuri.
IPGME & R and its commitment for providing technical support to NIPI
focused states gave us a chance to speak to Dr Arun Singh in this regard and
share his experience with the state of Madhya Pradesh.
After Visit of Dr Arun Singh to Madhya Pradesh and his support in making
of SNCU at NIPI focus districts brought a discussion with Mission Director
NRHM Madhya Pradesh. We requested NIPI Secretariat to send us to West
Bengal extensive visit along with NRHM team for learning and having close
interaction with Dr Arun Singh and his team for helping the states to build on
experiences of “Purulia Model”.
We started our journey from historical city of India “Kolkatta”. In IPGMER and
its SNCU we were able to see the effort of sincere people working in favor of all
newborn.
The concepts that enlighten us to quote few are:-

SNCU is an evolving concept with nucleus of core SNCU there are many
important spaces equally important.

Some future developments taking place like Vision, Hearing testing rooms,
IQ testing Etc..

Dedicated staff with various nursing researchers working on various
aspects of Newborn care.

Careful monitoring of each newborn.

Madhya Pradesh Team March, 2009

Notes on visit to West Bengal IPGME & R and Districts

Some mothers learning the process of taking care of their special newborn.

Concept of inborn and out-born differences in admission to SNCU

We Proceed to District purulia through a picturesque and beautiful landscape

of West Bangal. Purulia was a great place to see a successful experiment of start
of building Level-2 SNCU.
It was heartening to see District Panchayat System to take leadership in
this regard and presence of head of district in meeting was reiteration of their
interest and active leadership. We have learned during discussion about need
of:-
Neonatal wards and their utility
Step down unit and Training center as an integral part of every SNCU.
It was a good concept to use SNCU as a district training node for all trainings
related to newborn.
We have had a chance to meet a new New-born Aid and it stimulated a
thought process in us to initiate a dialogue in our state to start this process. Dr
Arun Singh and his team have agreed to share the training material and
methodology shall the GOVT leaders ask the west Bengal Govt.
In Siri Sadar Hospital we were able to see some good improvements to
purulia model. Few observations were:-
1- BPL/NON BPL Wards
2- Air Exchange for fresh air flow
3- Thought process for keeping Drugs stored in SNCU
4- Electricity calculation and power backup requirements
5- Problem of manpower transfers and postings of people working in SNCU
6- Use of newborn aids in SNCU

Madhya Pradesh Team March, 2009