The government of Nepal was planning to expand the Integrated Management on Childhood Illness (IMCI) program in 12 more districts with special target to cater to the needs of 0-7 days old neonates, a local newspaper The Himalayan Times reported Sunday.

The program is scheduled to begin from April this year and is expected to check the high neonatal mortality rate in the country.

Dr. Sun Lal Thapa, program manager of IMCI, Child Heath Division stated that Nepal was very close to achieving the Millennium Development Goal of reducing under-five child mortality rate by two third by 2015, however, the neonatal mortality was still a bigger challenge.

According to CHD, two-thirds of all infant deaths take place in the first year of life of which two-thirds occurs in the first week of life and of which two third occurs on first day of birth.

"Earlier, the CHD did not concentrate on neonates as it required pediatricians, sophisticated management and care for neonates but now we have realized that it was a mistake," said Dr. Thapa. "Research shows that even simple precautionary measures could save babies' lives."

IMCI generally concentrates on under-five children to deal with five killer diseases namely diarrhea, pneumonia, malnutrition, measles and malaria.

The under five-child mortality rate was 91 per 100 live births in 2001 while it has come down to 65 per 1000 births now.

Source: Xinhua