NATIONAL CONSULTATION
FOR SECOND PHASE RCH PROGRAMME
A National Consultation
for formulating next phase of Reproductive & Child Health
(RCH) programme for the years 2003-08 was organized in Delhi recently.
The purpose of the consultation was to seek consensus on the components
of the next phase of Reproductive & Child Health programme
particularly, integration of population stabilization efforts
with in the umbrella of Reproductive & Child Health programme
and identify strategies and issues required to be addressed during
the programme design phase. The consultation was launched by Shri
Shatrughan Sinha, Minister for Health & Family Welfare, and
was attended by representatives of different ministries, Planning
Commission, representatives of the different States and Union
territories, UN agencies and bilateral donors, academic and professional
bodies, NGOs, RCH experts and others.
Addressing the gathering,
the Minister stated that the next phase of the RCH programme would
lay stress on organizational and operational aspects of the programme
so that the goals of National Population Policy could be achieved
in an accelerated manner. He stated that the programme would focus
upon the EAG states, the unserved groups such as urban slum dwellers,
tribal, adolescent etc. The issues of inter-sectoral coordination
as well as that of donor assistance would be ensured. He also
exhorted states to own the programme and promised that the programme
design would address the states’ requirements as well as their
absorption capacity in a flexible manner.
The outlay of the
next phase of RCH Programme is likely to be Rs.9,500 crore. All
the major donors active in the family welfare sector have promised
their support to the programme. The preparation of the programme
document has been started by positioning a team of experts who
will, within the framework suggested by the aforesaid consultation,
and in consultation with the officials of the Ministry, states
and other stakeholders prepare the programme proposal. The proposal
is likely to be approved and be in operation by December 2003.
It may be recalled
that the earlier programme was launched on the eve of 9th
Five Year Plan and incorporated new approach to population and
reproductive health issues, which put individual at the centre,
paid attention to quality of care and gender concerns and abandoned
the demographic approach to family planning services, and also
sought to involve community in planning and implementation. This
phase is coming to an end by March 2003. Therefore, the preparation
for the next phase of the programme has been launched with the
aforesaid consultation.
