Daily News Analysis

What is the care protocol for babies in India?

stylish_lining

What is the care protocol for babies in India?

 

 

Why in the News?

Recently, a former British nurse Lucy Letby was sentenced to life in prison after being held guilty in the worst child serial killer case in the history of the U.K.

  • Letby was convicted of murdering 7 babies and trying to kill 6 others between June 2015 and June 2016.
  • The infants were killed by injecting them with air, force-fed milk or poisoned with insulin.

What are patient safety provisions in India?

  1. As per the Union Health Ministry, Patient safety is defined as “the freedom for a patient from unnecessary harm or potential harm associated with provision of healthcare” and its forms a fundamental element of public healthcare.
  2. Patients in India are protected under multiple layers of law but they are largely fragmented. 
    1. Idea of patient safety is enshrined in the Hippocratic Oath of medical professionals.
    2. The Consumer Protection Act deals with medical negligence and deficiency of services.
    3. Clinical Establishment Act deals with the legal rights of the patients.
    4. National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority and Drugs Controller General of India à drafts mechanisms to ensure protection of patients’ rights in terms of medication, devices and hospitalisation charges.

How is neonatal safety maintained in India?

  1. India registers 2.6 crore child births annually.
  2. There are no exclusive rules for neonatal care and safety, or protection against external harm in hospitals in India.
  3. Provisions and checks are in place to handle issues like inadvertent mix-up of babies at birth and abduction in the hospital set-up.
  4. A comprehensive framework with provisions for the safety and wellbeing of neonates are in place to minimise potential risks., which includes,
    1. Trained healthcare staff to counsel parents and provide emotional support to ensure the safety and development of neonates.
    2. Adequate staffing to closely monitor each baby’s condition and respond swiftly to any concerns. 
    3. Availability of proper equipment for respiratory support, temperature regulation and monitoring vital signs.
    4. Regular training and continuing medical education for healthcare staff to maintain high-quality neonatal care and uphold safety standards.

Issues faced by the Neonates:

  1. WHO reports that children face the greatest risk of death in their first 28 days of birth.
    1.  47% of all under-five deaths occurred in the newborn period with about 1/3rd dying on the day of birth and close to 3/4th dying within the first week of life, in 2019.
    2. Infants who die within the first 28 days of birth suffer from conditions and diseases associated with
      1. Lack of quality care at birth
      2. Lack of skilled care and treatment immediately after birth and in the first days of life.
      3. Pre-term birth
      4. Intrapartum-related complications (birth asphyxia or lack of breathing at birth),
      5. Infections
      6. Birth defects
  2. The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in India is 26.6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023 which is a 3.89% decline from 2022.

What has to be done to minimise neonatal deaths in India?

  1. Midwife-led continuity of care (MLCC) has to be provided to women from the start of pregnancy to post-delivery phase.
    • Women who receive MLCC through professional midwives, educated, and regulated to internationals standards, are 16% less likely to lose their baby and 24% less likely to experience pre-term birth.
  2. Seeking prompt medical care by families
    • In the cases of danger signs like feeding problems, or reduced activity of newborns, difficult breathing, a fever, fits or convulsions, jaundice in the first 24 hours after birth, yellow palms and soles at any age, or if the baby feels coldà medical attention has to be sought immediately.
  3. Registration of the births of newborns and timely vaccination of the child according to national schedules.
  4. Newborns has to provided with additional attention and care during hospitalisation and at home to minimise their health risks.

Critical Minerals

India’s first auction of deep-sea blocks for the extraction of critical minerals has been delayed indefinitely after receiving a poor response from bidders. This auction was expected to be a
Share It

CAG Report on States’ Fiscal Health

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has released its first decadal analysis on the fiscal health of 28 Indian states, revealing significant concerns over the increasing public debt.
Share It

President's Rule

The extension of President’s Rule in Manipur has brought to the fore the historical and controversial use of Article 356 of the Indian Constitution, shedding light on how its imposition disr
Share It

Beggars' Homes in India

In M.S. Patter v. State of NCT of Delhi, the Supreme Court (SC) held that state-run beggars’ homes are not merely penal institutions or charitable endeavors but are instead constitutional tr
Share It

Public Distribution System (PDS)

India's Public Distribution System (PDS) has long been a cornerstone of food security, ensuring access to subsidised cereals for millions of people. However, a recent Crisil study using the &l
Share It

Saudi-Pakistan Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement (SMDA)

The recent Saudi-Pakistan Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement (SMDA) represents a major shift in the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East and South Asia, with significant implications for Indi
Share It

Wassenaar Arrangement

The Wassenaar Arrangement is facing significant challenges in adapting its controls to the rapid growth of cloud technology. This issue highlights the need to update its control lists and enforcem
Share It

National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)

The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report for 2023 highlights a 9.2% increase in crimes against children in India, with 177,335 cases registered in total. This reflects a concerning rise in
Share It

Doctrine of Contributory Negligence

The Andhra Pradesh High Court recently made an important ruling regarding the doctrine of contributory negligence in criminal law. The court clarified that contributory negligence does not apply t
Share It

Perpetual Bonds

The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd (IREDA) recently raised ₹453 crore at an interest rate of 7.70% per annum through its second issue of Perpetual Bonds. This move is part of the
Share It

Newsletter Subscription


ACQ IAS
ACQ IAS