Kolkata: After receiving positive response from the people in two blocks of South 24 Parganas where UNICEF has supported to establish and run neuro-developmental clinics for children, the officials of this UN body today said that they would approach West Bengal government for scaling-up such clinics in all districts of the state to ensure that every child everywhere has access to Early Childhood Development (ECD) services.
These specialised clinics to provide critical services to the children till 3 years age are currently available at State’s Centre of Excellence at the SSKM Hospital and the District Early Intervention Centres (DEIC) in 17 out of 28 health districts in West Bengal.
In a bid to bring the special care closer to the community, UNICEF, in collaboration with an organisation specialised in developmental paediatrics, Nanritam, has supported the Departments of Health and Family Welfare and Woman & Child Development and Social Welfare to run the ECD clinics at Budge Budge-II and Bishnupur-II blocks of South 24-Parganas and training the anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, community nurses and other health department staff.
“After getting overwhelming response from the parents of these areas, this model of childhood care will be replicated in Canning-II and Jaynagar-I blocks. Earlier, the children who needed special care were sent to the SSKM hospital when any developmental delay was noticed in them but now they are being taken care at the ECD clinics,” Dr Muktisadhan Maiti, Chief Medical Officer of Health of South 24-Parganas, said.
Dr Swati Pramanick, Deputy CMOH-III of the district said that UNICEF will train the frontline workers, staff and the proposed ECD clinics in the next two blocks will run under the supervision of a doctor. Most of the children could be treated here and those needing specialised services will be referred to the SSKM hospital, she said.
After noticing the response from the parents, communities and state health department officials, UNICEF has decided to advocate for setting-up of the ECD clinics across the state.
Dr Monjur Hossain, Chief of UNICEF in West Bengal, said that the initiative would convene, converge and catalyse child-centred interventions and initiatives such as the ECD clinics.
“In line with our strategic cooperation approaches, this local level knowledge and evidence created would be used for policy advocacy and leveraging of resources with the government. We would approach the state government to scale-up the programme to other blocks too. This will facilitate government’s efforts to reach every child everywhere, and ensure that no one is left behind,” Dr Hossain said today following the commemoration of National Newborn Week.
As part of the programme, the frontline workers have been trained to identify the children who need special care and send them to the ECD clinics. They also teach parents to make age-appropriate toys using articles available at home or discarded things like egg trays.
“To address any developmental delay, the clinics are equipped with special kits, toys, paediatrician, physiotherapist, special educator, psychologist, speech therapist and occupational therapist,” Dr Nandita Chattopadhyay, a developmental paediatrician and Director of Nanritam, said.
