HYDERABAD: Health minister T Harish Rao inaugurated a Rs 2 crore centre of excellence for neonatal care at Niloufer Hospital here on Saturday, with an aim to bring down mortality rates among newborns and infants.
The centre will connect 42 special newborn care units (SNCUs) and bring essential medical services closer to families in need, which he said was one of its kind comprehensive care effort in the country.
The centre will provide consultation through video communication, enabling expert advice and treatment to SNCUs, and extend the healthcare to remote districts, the minister said.
He said the maternal mortality ratio had decreased from 92 to 43 (national average 97), infant mortality rate from 39 to 21 (national average 28), neonatal mortality rate 25 to 15 (national average 20), and the under-5 mortality rate had decreased from 41 to 23 (national average 32).
Ministers Mohd Mahmood Ali, Talasani Srinivas Yadav, Nampally MLA Jaffar Hussain, health commissioner Shweta Mahanti, Director of Medical Education Dr Ramesh Reddy and Niloufer Hospital superintendent Dr T. Usha Rani attended the event.
