To enhance institutional delivery rate in the riverine blocks of Sundarbans, the state government has taken up special initiative by setting waiting huts for expecting mothers, minister of state Shashi Panja said in the West Bengal Assembly today. Panja in his reply during a discussion in the Assembly, said such huts were built at Gosaba RH, Madhabnagar RH and Khulna RH. According to her, the state has taken special initiatives by restructuring of health facilities for providing CEmOC (Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care) and BEmOC (Basic Emergency Obstetric Care) service on 24×7 basis. As on May 27, 2016, 53 SNCUs are functional in the state with 1,907 functional beds for rendering specialised new born care support of newborns to reduce infant mortality, she said. “Another 17 units are at different stages of operationalisation and 15 of them are expected to be functional with 2016-17 financial year. West Bengal is one of the few states having such a large number of SNCUs dedicated to new born survival,” she added.

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