New Delhi, Sep 18 (IANS): Health Minister Harsh Vardhan Thursday said the government is confident of reducing the newborn mortality rate to single-digit much before the 2030 target date.

At present, the death rate for newborns (0-28 days) is 29 per 1,000 live births.

Inaugurating the Indian Newborn Action Plan (INAP) here, the minister said that of the 2.8 million newborns who die at birth worldwide, 700,000 are in India.

"These are preventable deaths and now we have an action plan for preventing them. I don't believe in long-range targets. We must achieve our goal within a short time," he said.

The minister said that INAP will be implemented under the existing reproductive, maternal, child health and adolescents plus (RMNCHA ) framework.

Six evidence-based, effective strategies impacting still births and newborn health will be used. These include preconception and antenatal care, care during labour and child birth, immediate newborn care, care of healthy newborns, care of small and sick newborns and care beyond newborn survival.