Under the auspices of the Norway-India Partnership Initiative (NIPI), the NIPI secretariat (UNOPS) signed two Memorandums of Understanding with the State Governments of Orissa and Rajasthan on December 13 and 14, respectively, for the duration of 2007-2012. The main objective is to promote child health under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in the two States.
22/01/2008 :: Orissa had highest infant mortality rate (IMR) in India over a decade ago. Sustained efforts by the Governments of Orissa and Rajasthan, have shown significant progress in the right direction for reducing child mortality and improving child health. However, extra efforts will be required for these States to achieve the Millineum Development Goal 4 (5).
NIPI aims at accelerating the Child Health interventions under NRHM at all levels:
• Through complementing the ongoing national efforts by stimulating acceleration of NRHM implementation.
• Through block, district, region and state specific and appropriate interventions.
• Through partnerships and collaboration with all key stakeholders in the child health arena.
• Through flexible and strategic support to catalytic processes and mechanisms that will ensure sustainability.
Core NIPI interventions of NIPI will consist of:
• Capacity building of frontline workers in home based newborn and child care and community mobilization.
• Strengthening institutional capacity at block and district level to meet the expanding requirements related to quality child and related maternal health service delivery.
• Supporting the State Governments in developing and optimizing a Management Information System on Child Health and related maternal health.
These MOU’s indicate the highest level commitment from the State Governments to achieving the MDGs but more importantly to prioritize child health. The next step to the signing of the MOUs will be the joint preparation of the State Child Health Plans that will the NIPI inputs as part of the overall State Health Plans.
The first trance of the funds amounting to INR 60 million has been released for the year 2008 for both states respectively. Subsequent annual release of funds will be based on program progress and approvals of the Joint Steering Committee.
RNE, New Delhi