PM bats for partnerships for development
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 12 2018: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged partners in Partnership for Maternal, New-born and Child Health (PMNCH) to embrace the said initiative in true spirit while assuring that India will/shall stand together with all the partners of PMNCH in the run to achieve the target.

Speaking as the Chief Patron at the inaugural function of Partners' Forum, 2018 which kicked off today at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, the Prime Minister said that the Partners' Forum is a vibrant platform which offers the right moment to invigorate the commitment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)' to "Survive, thrive and transform".

While stating that the agenda of SDGs is the reflection of partnerships between citizens, communities and countries, the Prime Minister pointed out that the goals set by various countries can be achieved through partnerships.

"We have gathered to discuss and deliberate ways to improve the health and well-being of mothers and children.

The out-come of our discussions today will have a great impact on our tomorrow", he said adding that "The Partners' Forum vision is in line with India's ancient wisdom of 'The World is one family' and the Government's philosophy of collective efforts and partnerships for inclusive growth.

Highlighting the various achievements made in the last few years, Narendra Modi claimed that the Government has launched the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan to provide best possible care to mothers during pregnancy.

He asserted that India is on course to attend the SDG targets for maternal and child health, much ahead of the agreed date of 2030 with sustained momentum.

"The country has 25 million new-borns.

Our robust facility based new-born care system, which provides care to more than 1 million newborn babies through 794 state of the art Special Newborn Care Units, has served as a successful model.

As a result of our interventions, 840 additional lives of children under five are being saved each day in India as compared to four years back," the Prime Minister said.

The function was also attended by Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda, Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal UpendraYadav, Inter Parliamentary Union President Gabriela Cuevas Barron and First Lady of Belize Kim Simplis Barrow among others.

Around 1200 participants from 85 countries are participating at the two-day event which will deliberate on issues ofhealth and well-being of women, children and adolescents.

Partners' Forum is a global health partnership launched in September 2005 to accelerate efforts to reduce child and maternal mortality, improve adolescent, child, newborn and maternal health.

This partnership is an alliance of more than 1,000 plus members from various walks of life, across 10 constituencies in 92 countries.

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