Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare digitally presided over the 58th National Conference of theIndian Academy of Pediatricstoday.
Appreciating the works of Indian Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Harsh Vardhan noted, “I am aware that the Indian Academy of Paediatrics is constantly working with Government of India on many issues related to Child Health. In Polio Eradication, Immunization, Guidelines on Junk foods, Supporting Government during Pandemic, Antimicrobial Resistance, Fight against Tuberculosis in our National TB Elimination Program, Combating Malnutrition, as well as in Adolescent Health, your work and advocacy have been remarkable.I am confident that Indian Academy of Paediatrics with its mammoth membership strength of more than 30,000 members and state branches in every state as well as 350 city branches has a very good infrastructure to support the activities of Government related to child health.”
Expressing his happiness on the Parental Guidelinesthat planned to be rolled this year on about 100 common conditions pertaining to children by the Academy, the Union minister said, “This would be a very good and useful document and will be of immense value for Indian Parents. It is even more commendable that you shall ensure that they will be available in most Indian languages for the general public.”
He continued, “I appreciate that you have developed online tools on the basis of revised Navjaat Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (NSSR) module. Indian Academy of Paediatrics through its dIAP platform has over the past year perfected the art of online training. Indian Academy of Paediatrics is furthering the vision of our Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji of a Digital India as well as AtmanirbharBharat. Using this expertise I am sure these online tools will have a far reaching benefits in reaching the unreached, reducing cost of training and reducing manpower requirement”, he said.
Noting the efforts of Indian Academy of Pediatrics in the state of Madhya Pradesh , Dr. Harsh Vardhan said, “I am delighted that you are organising a special program for training of trainers, exclusively for Madhya Pradesh aimed to decrease its Neonatal Mortality.I am hopeful that the program designed by you in collaboration with Government of Madhya Pradesh will give encouraging results in the six high priority districts, and shall subsequently be rolled out in the entire state and thereafter the entire country. I assure full cooperation from the Government of India in making this program a great success.”
He added, “Another flagship project of Indian Academy of Paediatrics, funded by UNICEF and WHO, namely Early Child Development is also path breaking, important, impressive and will ensure that our future citizens achieve full potential.”
Concluding his presidential address, Dr. Vardhanexpressed his gratitude to Indian Academy of Paediatrics for extending their very valuable advice, guidance and contribution in 1994 to initiate Pulse Polio Programme in the country which has borne remarkable and historic success ultimately resulting in the declaration of a certified Polio Free India by WHO in 2014, 20 years later.
