Community health workers to treat tribal kids for sepsis

MUMBAI: In an effort to save thousands of infants dying from infections every year, the state has decided to train 7,000 community health workers to administer oral antibiotics. The medical fraternity, which had in the past vehemently contested the idea of non-medicos giving antibiotics, seems to be on board this time, but with caveats.

In a meeting held recently following the deaths of 55 infants in Nashik’s Civil Hospital, the public health department took a decision to train Accredited Social Health Activists (Ashas) to give amoxicillin to critical babies who may not have immediate access to a hospital. The project will initially be tested in six districts with tribal population—Thane, Nashik, Nandurbar, Amravati, Gadchiroli and Chandrapur.

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Courtesy: The Times of India