Samagra Shishu Bal Swasthya Karyakram (SSBSK)
Why in News?
The Samagra Shishu Bal Swasthya Karyakram (SSBSK) is a unified national child healthcare initiative launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, to provide an integrated continuum of home- and community-based care for every child from birth to 36 months of age.
Key Information
- Motto: Operates under the vision “पहले तीन साल, सम्पूर्ण देखभाल” (Comprehensive Care During the First Three Years).
- Unified Framework: It merges Home-Based Newborn Care (HBNC) and Home-Based Care for Young Child (HBYC) into a single, cohesive framework.
- Holistic Focus: Aims to improve child survival, growth, nutrition, and cognitive development.
- At-Risk Identification: Uses data-backed, risk-differentiated strategies to support vulnerable children (e.g., low birth weight, prematurity).
- Intensified Care: Provides up to 9 home visits in the first 42 days for at-risk newborns, and 8 visits for all children between 3-36 months.
- Team Approach: Integrates ASHA, ANM, CHO, and AWW workers for joint, high-quality home visits, counselling, and assessments.
- Services: Conducts "Shishu Shivir" (specialized health clinics) at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and integrates with Village Health, Sanitation, and Nutrition Days (VHSND).
- Maternal Support: Includes postpartum mental health screenings at the doorstep.
- Digital Ecosystem: Links children via ABHA and Baal-ABHA IDs, integrating data across portals like U-WIN and POSHAN Tracker.
- Screen-Time Guidelines: Discourages high screen time to encourage physical play.
