Neonatal Health Care Services in India

Newborn health is key to child survival. India contributes to nearly one- third of the global neonatal deaths. Quality of health care services influences neonatal survival. The quality of neonatal care in India varies from no care to highly advanced care comparable to any centers in the world. The health system includes health care facilities providing Level I, Level II and level III neonatal care in public and private sectors. Problems like lack of uniformity in the system, lack/delay in recognition of illness, delay/ inadequate care seeking, poor organization of referral and transport, poor quality of care, inadequate infrastructure and training of staff and lack of regionalization of care exists in the country. Neonatal care if strengthened at all levels, with integration of public and private sectors and regionalization will help our country to improve upon the status of newborns. Setting up a system of primary health care and referral, conducting meticulous monitoring and accreditation at all levels of health care, improving access to health services, prioritizing health interventions provided at various levels, facilitating better utilization of health services, promoting community participation and ownership and establishing an efficient neonatal transport system could possibly help to improve the health care delivery to neonates. Nurses play a very crucial role in neonatal care at all levels: level I, II, and III. Improving nurse's skills in neonatal care is a challenge. Nurse educators should take up the responsibility for appropriate training to ensure that future nurses would be efficient to take care of neonate at all levels of care. In order to improve the neonatal survival quality nursing care should be ensured for neonates at all levels of care.