With a view to reduce infant mortality and maternal mortality rate in the state, the Orissa government plans to set up 3 Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) during the current year. These centres will come up in the tribal dominated districts of Koraput, Kalahandi and Mayurbhanj districts.
The expenditure required for setting up these centres will be about Rs 8 lakhs. The first such centre will be inaugurated on 14th November. It has also been decided that a sick new born child care unit will come up in Mayurbhanj district.
The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) will provide the technical support for these programmes and the funds required for this purpose will be provided by the state government and the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).
Since malnutrition is considered as a major cause for the infant mortality in the state, the government has started a drive to remove malnutrition from the children. It is working on various measures to reduce the infant mortality rate (IMR) to 35 percent by 2012 from 44 percent at present.
Keeping that in view, the state health and family welfare department and the women and child development department have decided to start joint initiative. Accordingly, nutrition day will be observed in every village either on Tuesday or Friday.
The anganwadi workers, the Asha volunteers and the representatives of local Panchayatiraj institutions will take part in the event.