The Hindu : New Delhi News : Manmohan concerned at infant mortality rate

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Saturday, Oct 01, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Manmohan concerned at infant mortality rate

Special Correspondent

Calls for state-wise strategies to deal with health issues

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday asked the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry to convene a meeting of Chief Ministers to look into issues related to health and draw state-wise strategies.

At a review meeting here, Dr. Singh said the infant mortality rate (IMR) and the maternal mortality rate (MMR) were "atrociously high." He told Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss that the UNDP's Human Development Report did not "paint India in good light," which was a matter of concern, Sanjaya Baru, media adviser to the Prime Minister, told reporters after the meeting.

Dr. Singh made it clear that the Ministry should focus on the determinants of health state-wise so that appropriate strategies could be evolved to overcome these, Mr. Baru said. He also reviewed the progress of the National Rural Health Mission.

The Director-General of Health Services made a presentation before the Prime Minister on the steps taken to tackle Japanese encephalitis, dengue, hepatitis and HIV/AIDS. The meeting lasted about 90 minutes.

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