Health Minister JP Nadda will launch the Samagra Shishu Bal Swasthya Karyakram (SSBSK) to enhance child health services. The programme unifies existing initiatives to provide continuous care for children from birth to 36 months of age.
In a significant step towards strengthening newborn and child health services in the country, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda will launch the Samagra Shishu Bal Swasthya Karyakram (SSBSK) during the 16th Conference of the Central Council of Health and Family Welfare (CCHFW) to be held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
As per the Health Ministry, the launch will mark a major milestone in advancing the Government's commitment to ensuring comprehensive, accessible and quality healthcare for every child by providing a seamless continuum of home and community-based care from birth to 36 months of age. SSBSK will carry forward the vision of "Pehle Teen Saal Sampoorn Dekhbhaal", recognising the critical importance of the first three years of life for child survival, growth, nutrition and early brain development.
A Unified National Programme
Samagra Shishu Bal Swasthya Karyakram (SSBSK) will be a unified national programme that will consolidate the two flagship community-based initiatives, Home-Based Newborn Care (HBNC) and Home-Based Care for Young Child (HBYC), into a single comprehensive framework. By integrating these programmes, SSBSK will ensure continuity of care from birth through the first three years of life, strengthening child survival, nutrition, healthy growth and early childhood development through an integrated approach.
Enhanced Care for 'At-Risk' Children
For the first time, the programme will introduce a risk-stratified approach for newborns and children identified as 'At-risk'. These children will receive intensified follow-up through additional home visits based on their level of risk. Under the programme, 'At-risk' newborns will receive up to nine home visits during the first 42 days, while 'At-risk' children will receive up to eight home visits up to 36 months of age.
Strengthening Community-Based Services
The programme will further strengthen continuity of care through joint home visits by Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), Community Health Officers (CHOs) and Anganwadi Workers (AWWs). It will also introduce Well-Baby Sessions at every Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Day (VHSND) and a monthly Shishu Shivir at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs for early identification, assessment and management of 'At-risk' children.
Holistic Development and Mental Health
SSBSK will incorporate post-partum maternal mental health screening as a structured component of community-based care and will integrate nurturing care for Early Childhood Development (ECD) across all home visits and community contacts by promoting responsive caregiving, early learning, age-appropriate play, child safety and family engagement.
Leveraging Technology and Addressing Modern Challenges
The programme will leverage digital technologies through Decision-Support Systems (DSS), child tracking applications, referral loops and alert mechanisms to strengthen monitoring and continuity of care. These digital systems will be aligned with the JANANI Portal, U-WIN Portal, MPCDSR Portal, RBSK 2.0 Portal and POSHAN Tracker, enabling seamless data exchange and service continuity through ABHA and Baal-ABHA IDs.
It will also address home-based care in urban settings through tailored strategies for slum, migrant and underserved populations. The guidelines will also address emerging challenges of the digital era by promoting age-appropriate play, physical activity and mental stimulation during the first three years of life while recognising the adverse impact of excessive screen time and reduced physical interaction on brain development, emotional health and social skills.
The launch of Samagra Shishu Bal Swasthya Karyakram (SSBSK) will reaffirm the Government's commitment to ensuring accessible, equitable and quality healthcare for every mother and child towards the vision of Viksit Bharat. (ANI)
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