The health of children including newborns continues to be of highest priority for Government of India, which is committed to reducing Neonatal Mortality Rate to single digit by the year 2030. On 20th November, 2020, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Hon’ble Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, launched the training module on "Newborn Stabilization Units (NBSUs)" for optimal management of newborn care at First Referral Units (FRU), to commemorate the National Newborn Week from 15th to 21st November, 2020. The virtual event took place at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and was attended virtually by Additional Secretary and Mission Director, National Health Mission MoHFW, Additional Secretary, MoHFW Dr Manohar Agnani, Dr Sumita Ghosh, MoHFW, Ms. Camilla Dannevig, Counsellor and Head of Development Cooperation, Royal Norwegian Embassy, India and Dr Soffia Osk Magnusdottir Dayal, Senior Adviser, Royal Norwegian Embassy.

NBSUs are an important part of the facility based newborn care at the first referral units to provide basic stabilization and feeding support to babies delivered at the facility, and to sick and small babies referred to the facilities from outside. As a part of the strategy to revitalise these units, Government of India mandated Norway India Partnership Initiative (NIPI) to support the development of NBSU child health training packages. Under the leadership of Child Health Division, MoHFW, NIPI in consultation with technical experts and other development partners supported the development of a new “NBSU Training Package” for both doctors and nurses. The NBSU training package consist of an NBSU Facilitator Guide and NBSU Participants Module, intended to prepare and assist facilitators to conduct the training programme for service providers (doctors & nurses) involved in the care of sick and newborns at the NBSUs. The NBSU package provides detailed outline of sessions, tips and examples to help the facilitators in delivering the course material in a standardised approach.

NIPI intends to assist its supported states, and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in further operationalisation of the training packages. For more information visit www.nipi-cure.org