The Commissionerate of Health & Family Welfare Services, Karnataka on April 22, 2025, issued a circular on Newborn Child Care: Instructions for Health Facilities.
The following has been stated namely: -
• It has issued a directive outlining standardised procedures for the care of newborns in health facilities across Karnataka. It emphasises key requirements such as immediate skin-to-skin contact, maintaining an appropriate thermal environment, and timely initiation of exclusive breastfeeding within the first hour.
• Facility staff are also instructed to ensure skilled neonatal assessment, prompt immunisation (including the first dose of BCG and OPV), and thorough documentation of newborn care in maternity records.
• The circular further mandates periodic audit and monitoring of neonatal wards to ensure compliance with these practices and reduction of preventable newborn morbidity and mortality.
[Notification no. - HFWS-CHOOTHR(OTHR)/75/2022 (E-947884)]
