RMNCH + A

Improving the Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn Child and Adolescent Health and their survival is Central to the achievement of Maternal Health goals under NRHM. In the past 7 Years several innovative strategies has been evolved to delivers evidence based interventions, since the launch of NRHM in 2005. To consolidate all these efforts as we inch closer to 2015 and to further accelerate progress to attain MDG goals a national agenda. A strategic approach to Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn Child and Adolescent Health was created on May 2012 through an order from Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.

Following the Government of India’s “Call to Action (CAT) Summit” in February, 2013, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare launched 3 years National Campaign focussing on Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn Child and Adolescent health and health related system strengthening (including Nutrition) to influence key interventions for prevention and treatment of diseases that result in unacceptable levels of morbidity and mortality in the high risk and vulnerable communities.

The 12th Five Year Plan has defined the National Health outcomes and the 3 goals that are relevant to RMNCH +A strategies approach as follows:

• Reduction of Infant Mortality Rate to 25/1000 live birth by 2017.
• Reduction in Maternal Mortality Ratio to 100/100000 live birth by 2017.
• Reduction in Total Fertility Rate to 2.1 by 2017.

RMNCH + A initiative comprising interventions and a robust communication campaign is to be implemented in all the States with specific focus on 186 High Priority Districts (HPD) selected on the basis of the health and social indicators for Children and their mothers.

To accelerate achievement of RMNCH + A indicators technical assistance through Consultants to the State NRHM and the Directorate of Health & Family Welfare is provided by UNICEF in Meghalaya. These Consultants will closely work with Regional Resource Centre - NE, Guwahati. The Consultants are to provide the following specific support aimed at building capacity of the State and Districts health Managers.

• Support State and Districts level processes for health systems strengthening, including bottleneck/gap and resources analysis along Continuum of Care and based on findings, support the development of District RMNCH + A action plans.
• Contribute to evidence-based planning and budgeting of NRHM PIPs including appropriate budget allocations for High Priority Districts (HPD).
• Provide technical inputs for guiding state in roll out and scale up of key RMNCH + A interventions being supported by UNICEF along Continuum of Care.
• Identify capacity gaps and facilitate on-the-job capacity-building of RMNCH + A
• Coordinate periodic joint review and analysis of data received from District and Block levels including validation.
• Coordinate supportive supervision and concurrent monitoring initiative and undertake field monitoring to the Districts.
• Establish and coordinate linkages related with other Department and other professional bodies.

To achieve this the State of Meghalaya is also adhering to the 5 x 5 Matrix for high Impact RMNCH + A initiatives to be implemented with high coverage and high quality and 5 x 5 Matrix for high impact RMNCH + A Interventions – Lists of minimum essential commodities.

Accordingly, the current PIP of Meghalaya will project for 2015-17 taking care of all essential requirements.

RMNCH+A activities have been initiated in the State. Two consultants from UNICEF have been posted in the state. After a series of workshops with the staff from High Priority Districts (HPDs), district gap analysis has been initiated.