27-Jul-2021: New Policy on Pneumonia to Reduce Infant Mortality

As per Sample Registration System Report (2010-13) of Registrar General of India, Pneumonia contributes 16.9% of infant deaths and it is the 2nd highest cause of infant mortality.

The list of major causes of infant mortality in India as per the above report is placed at annexure.

In order to accelerate actions for reducing deaths due to childhood Pneumonia, an initiative named “Social Awareness and Actions to Neutralize Pneumonia Successfully (SAANS)” has been launched in 2019. The SAANS initiative encompasses three pronged strategies:

1. Guidelines on treatment and management of childhood Pneumonia including introduction of use of Amoxicillin by ANM.
2. Capacity building of service providers for identification and standardized management of Pneumonia.
3. Communication campaign to ensure greater awareness on childhood Pneumonia among families and parents.

16-Nov-2019: SAANS campaign launched

The 6th NHM National Summit saw the launch of SAANS campaign i.e. “Social Awareness and Action to Neutralise Pneumonia Successfully” to control Pneumonia. This campaign will mobilize people's for protecting and preventing children from pneumonia; and health personnel, governments & other stakeholders to prioritize treatment towards the control of Pneumonia — one of the most fatal childhood illnesses.

Under the SAANS campaign, new interventions have been included like a child suffering from Pneumonia will be treated with pre-referral dose of Amoxicillin by ASHA; Pulse Oximeter will be used at the Health and Wellness Centre for identification of low oxygen levels in the blood and if required treated by use of Oxygen. The initiative also aims to create mass awareness about the most effective solutions for pneumonia prevention like breast feeding, age appropriate complementary feeding, immunization, good quality air etc.

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, GoI holds National Summit on Good, Replicable Practices and Innovations in Public Healthcare Systems in India annually to recognize, showcase and document various best practices and innovations adopted by States and UTs for addressing their public health challenges and to improving their health outcomes though better implementation of programmes under National Health Mission (NHM). More than 300 participants attended the summit. At the summit 37 good practices were presented and 73 emerging good practices were showcased in the form of poster presentations.