The Parliamentary group will comprise of more than 14 MPs of various parties and will work closely to help improve infant mortality and mother mortality rates in India, which will finally lead to population stabilisation.
The forum MPs will engage with various experts such as doctors, civil society representatives and organisations working on child survival to strategise on making this issue more visible.
The group, spearheaded by BJP MP from Champaran Sanjay Jaiswal and JMM MP from Jamshedpur Ajay Kumar, is likely to meet on November 22 to chalk out its further strategy. Jaiswal and Kumar, both doctors, will be the forum's conveners.
"Pneumonia and diarrhoea are two diseases that are killing lakh of children every year in India. What is more unfortunate is that the target is often the poorest of children with little or no access to medical attention. It is time we addressed this critical issue of child survival in India, as we need to work towards saving our tomorrow," Jaiswal said.
He said the forum will work towards ensuring that basic medicines are provided for in hospitals through NRHM for preventing pneumonia and diarrhoea, besides also pressing for early introduction of the Pentavalent vaccine across India.
The MPs felt that such diseases hit hard the poorest, with studies showing that as much as Rs 2-3 billion are spent annually just treating rotavirus diarrhoea in children under-5.
Kumar said "a Parliamentary Forum on Child Survival is a group that can work towards bringing down India's child mortality numbers. Parliamentarians from different political parties have expressed their support to the formation of a Forum that focusses on child health and survival. We plan on moving forward to ensure that this Forum takes shape shortly."
They said the forum will ensure the issue of child health is articulated in the agenda of national and state governments and will aim to create awareness and utilise platforms to raise the profile of child survival.
