<em>National Newborn Week 2022</em>

In India, National Newborn Week is celebrated every year from 15 to 21 November. This week aims to reinforce the importance of neonatal health as a priority area of the heath sector and reduce infant mortality by improving healthcare conditions for infants in the neonatal period. The main purpose of celebrating this week is to raise awareness about the care of Newborn babies.

National Newborn Week 2022: Theme

The theme of this week is ‘Safety, Quality and Nurturing Care – Every Newborn's Birth Right. This year's theme for NNW has been chosen to ensure reaching every newborn with quality and developmentally supportive healthcare service rendering safety and dignity at all service delivery platforms – Health Facilities, Community Outreach Sessions and Homes, etc.

The First 28 days of life is the most crucial and alarming period for child survival as this period carries the highest risk of death per day than any other period during childhood. The first month of life is also a foundation period for lifelong health and development. Healthy ones grow into healthy and develop. Healthy ones grow into healthy adults who can thrive and contribute to their communities and societies.

Ø India Newborn Action Plan (INAP)

INAP was launched in September 2014, for accelerating the reduction of preventable newborn deaths and stillbirths in the country – with the goal of attaining.

Currently, there are an estimated 7.47 lakh neonatal deaths annually. The neonatal deaths are expected to reduce to below 2.28 lakh annually by 2030, once the goal is achieved.

The India Newborn Action Plan (INAP) is India's committed response to the Global Every Newborn Action Plan (ENAP), launched in June 2014 at the 67^th World Health Assembly, to advance the Global Strategy for Women's and Children’s Health.

Ø Significance

The reduction of newborn mortality rate and the week-long observance dedicated to creating awareness about newborn health was conceptualized by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Ø Child Morality in India

1.     With the birth of 25 million children each year, India accounts for nearly one- fifth of the world's annual childbirth.

2.     In India, around 3.5 million babies are born too early 1.7 million babies are born with birth defects, and 1 million newborns are discharged each year from Special Newborn Care Units (SNCUs).

3.     Around 46% of all material death and 40% of neonatal deaths happen during labor or the first 24 hours after birth.

Ø Cause of Newborn Deaths:

·   Pre-Maturity

·   Neonatal infections

·   Intra-Partum related complication·   Congenital Malformations