Dibrugarh: Assam is strengthening infection prevention and control practices across healthcare institutions to improve maternal and infant health outcomes, health minister Ashok Singhal said on Thursday.Singhal was speaking at a convention on maternal and infant mortality reduction and infection-control protocols in Dibrugarh, where he launched a standard operating procedure (SOP) and a dedicated infection-control portal.According to figures cited by the minister, Assam’s maternal mortality ratio has declined from 480 to 84 deaths per one lakh live births, while the infant mortality rate has fallen to 29 per thousand live births.“The protection of mothers and children is the core foundation of a healthy society,” Singhal said, adding that the state would focus on strengthening systems that improve maternal and child health.He said institutional deliveries, improved medical infrastructure, infection-control measures and grassroots interventions through the National Health Mission, Assam, helped reduce maternal and infant mortality.“This SOP will play a vital role in ensuring uniform standards, disciplined systems and designated protocols for infection prevention and control across healthcare institutions,” Singhal said.The portal will provide healthcare personnel access to guidelines, SOPs, data and other infection-control resources.Singhal said continued skill enhancement, improved infrastructure and effective infection-control measures would be needed to sustain the progress and reduce mortality indicators further.“Safeguarding the lives of mothers and newborns is not merely a goal of medical service; it is a fundamental indicator of a healthy and capable society,” he said.
