Odisha Launches 104 Helpline Services to Curb Infant Mortality Rate in the State

In an effort to curb the incidence of high infant mortality rate in the state, Odisha government has launched the 104 Health Helpline in partnership with Ziqitza Healthcare Limited. Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, principal secretary Health and Family Welfare Arti Ahuja, Mission Director NHM Roopa Mishra spoke at the inaugural function.//The helpline will track all expectant mothers and new born infants through Mother and Child Tracking System (MCTS). MCTS is an IT-enabled application that will facilitate access to maternal and child health services by all pregnant women and children. It is designed to track pregnant women from conception up to 42 days postpartum along with the new born up to five years of age.

All pregnant women and children will receive full medical information, thereby possibly reducing maternal, infant and child sickness and mortality. Special calls will also be made to High Risk Pregnant Women on a monthly basis. The call center is expected to reach out a minimum of 150 beneficiaries per day.

Nayak said, “The 104 Call Center is expected to reach about 8 lakh expecting mothers, 7 lakh Mother of Infants, 45000 ASHA workers and 7000 ANM. The broad objective of the MCTS is to reduce Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) infant mortality rate (IMR), to provide information to improve the nutritional level of the child and to ensure completion of immunization in children by tracking proper growth of a child. The MCTS is therefore an important intervention towards realization of the goals and objectives of the National Population Policy and the National Health Policy.”

Roopa Mishra, Mission Director – NHM, mentioned that, “104 Call Center is expected to bridge the information gap between the various medical service providers and the ultimate beneficiaries of these services. Under MCTS, expectant mothers would be advised on regular medical needs and the also about the prescribed vaccinations of the infant and children till they are five years old.”

Source-Medindia