Unicef to set up Early Child Development clinics in all Bengal districts

Kolkata, Nov 25 (IANS) The Unicef has decided to set up Early Child Development (ECD) clinics in all the districts of West Bengal in the coming days, an official said on Monday, adding that the UN body will approach the state government for necessary cooperation in the matter.

"These specialised clinics, currently available at the Centre of Excellence at the SSKM Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata and the District Early Intervention Centres (DEIC) in 17 out of 28 health districts in West Bengal, provide critical medical services to children up to three years. The initiative would convene, converge and catalyse child-centred interventions and initiatives such as the ECD clinics," said Dr Monjur Hossain, chief of Unicef in West Bengal.

It is learnt that in a bid to bring the special care closer to the community, UNICEF, in collaboration with an organisation specialised in developmental paediatrics christened Nanritam, had supported the state health and family welfare and state woman and child development and social welfare departments to run the ECD clinics at two blocks of South 24-Parganas and training the Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, community nurses and other health department staff.

Now after getting overwhelming response from the parents there, the UN body is planning to spread the ECD network in all the districts of West Bengal.

"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 the government's efforts to reach every child everywhere, and ensure that no one is left behind," Hossain said on Monday following the commemoration of National Newborn Week.

As part of the ECD programme, the frontline workers are being 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," said Dr Nandita Chattopadhyay, a developmental paediatrician and the director of Nanritam.

--IANS

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