Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Jun 29: Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda will launch the Samagra Shishu Bal Swasthya Karyakram (SSBSK) on Monday, marking a major step towards strengthening newborn and child healthcare services across the country.

The programme will be launched during the 16th Conference of the Central Council of Health and Family Welfare (CCHFW) at Vigyan Bhawan and aims to provide comprehensive, accessible and quality healthcare to children.

According to an official statement, SSBSK will provide a continuous system of home and community-based care for children from birth up to 36 months of age.

The programme highlights the importance of the first three years of life in ensuring child survival, proper growth, nutrition and early brain development.

SSBSK will bring together two existing community-based initiatives — Home-Based Newborn Care (HBNC) and Home-Based Care for Young Child (HBYC) — under a single national framework.

By integrating these programmes, the initiative will ensure continuity of care from birth through early childhood, focusing on child survival, nutrition, healthy development and early learning.

For the first time, the programme will introduce a risk-based approach for newborns and children identified as "At-risk". Such children will receive additional follow-up visits based on their health needs.

Under SSBSK, at-risk newborns will receive up to nine home visits during the first 42 days after birth, while at-risk children will receive up to eight home visits until they complete 36 months.

The programme will strengthen healthcare delivery through joint home visits by Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), Community Health Officers (CHOs) and Anganwadi Workers (AWWs).

It will also introduce Well-Baby Sessions during Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Days (VHSND) and monthly Shishu Shivirs at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs for early identification, assessment and management of vulnerable children.

SSBSK will include post-partum maternal mental health screening as part of community-based care and will promote Early Childhood Development (ECD) through responsive parenting, early learning, age-appropriate play, child safety and family participation.

The programme will also use digital technologies, including decision-support systems, child tracking applications, referral mechanisms and alert systems to improve monitoring and ensure continuity of healthcare services.