JANANI platform for maternal and child health

One line

The Union Health Ministry launched the JANANI platform to strengthen maternal and child healthcare through shared learning on effective practices.

Summary

Maternal and child outcomes depend on a continuum of care from pregnancy to childbirth, the postnatal period, infancy, and childhood. A platform can spread good practice, but frontline staff, referral transport, blood, medicines, and accountable facilities remain essential.

PYQ pattern

UPSC often links public health outcomes with primary care, social determinants, federal coordination, and last-mile delivery.

Core notes

Maternal health includes antenatal care, safe delivery, emergency obstetric care, and postnatal follow-up.
Child health includes newborn care, immunisation, nutrition, growth monitoring, and timely treatment.
Digital systems should support, not increase, frontline reporting burdens.
Outcome data needs disaggregation by geography and social group.

Prelims lens

Maternal mortality ratio is expressed per 100,000 live births.
Infant mortality rate is expressed per 1,000 live births.
Institutional delivery alone does not measure the full quality of care.

MCQ 1

Maternal mortality ratio uses which denominator?

A. 1,000 total population
B. 100,000 live births
C. 10,000 health workers
D. 1,000 pregnancies registered

Reveal answer

B

MMR is the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.

MCQ 2

Which best represents a continuum-of-care approach?

A. Care only during delivery
B. Linked services before, during, and after childbirth and through childhood
C. Hospital construction without staff
D. Data collection without referrals

Reveal answer

B

Continuity across life stages and levels of care reduces preventable gaps.

Mains

Question, 10 marks, 150 words: What institutional measures are needed to reduce preventable maternal and child deaths in India?

Approach:

Explain the continuum of care.
Discuss primary care, referral systems, workforce, nutrition, and quality.
Note regional and social inequalities.
Suggest audit, transport, supplies, and interoperable data.