The programme was adopted at a workshop organised by SEARCH (Society for Education, Action and Research in Community Health), an NGO run by activist Dr Abhay Bang for bringing down child deaths. BJP national president Nitin Gadkari and spokesperson Prakash Javadekar were also present on the occasion.
The five-point programme includes a comprehensive health guarantee card ensuring all necessary health check ups and treatments to married women and structured and time-bound programme to ensure village-based health services to mother and child.
Extending the scope of girl child development programme with the objective of reaching minimum 90 per cent adolescent girls; ensuring the conduct of mother-child health fairs and lastly, ensuring that the present Asha scheme is converted into a credible healthcare service for the beneficiaries, especially in rural areas, are part of it.
Health ministers from Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa and representatives from Chhattisgarh gave their consent to implement the programme in their states.
On the occasion, Gadkari said the health standards in India were needed to be improved and brought on par with international ones.
"Every child is an asset to the country and concerted efforts should be made to save children's lives," he said, adding that welfare of the people from the grassroots level as dreamt by Mahatma Gandhi and Deendayal Upadhyay was the mission of BJP. (More)