In a major nationwide healthcare initiative aimed at reducing neonatal mortality in India, more than 20,000 healthcare workers and medical professionals were trained in new-born resuscitation and emergency neonatal care on Sunday under the National Neonatology Forum of India’s (NNF India) “Nationwide NRP Training Day”.
The large-scale programme, conducted as part of the Presidential Action Plan 2026 of NNF India, focused on equipping healthcare professionals with life-saving skills required during the critical “Golden Minute” immediately after birth — the first 60 seconds when timely intervention can save a new-born’s life.
In Gurugram, the training campaign was conducted at Sector-15-based Krishna Medi Healthcare under the coordination of senior paediatrician Dr Balraj Singh Yadav.
Highlighting the urgency of strengthening neonatal care systems in India, Dr Yadav said the country’s Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) currently stands at 25 per 1,000 live births, significantly higher than developed nations such as Japan, Finland, Sweden and Norway, where the rate is nearly 2 per 1,000 live births. In the United States, the IMR is around 5 per 1,000 live births.
“To realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making India a developed nation by 2047, strengthening healthcare systems and advanced training of healthcare workers is essential,” Dr Yadav said.
According to paediatric experts associated with the programme, nearly one in every ten babies born in India experiences breathing difficulty at birth and requires immediate medical support. The training sessions focused heavily on practical neonatal resuscitation techniques to ensure healthcare providers can respond effectively during childbirth emergencies.
The free Basic Neonatal Resuscitation Programme (NRP) course was specially designed for paediatricians, neonatologists, gynaecologists, anaesthesiologists, physicians, resident doctors, nurses, midwives, medical officers and healthcare workers associated with labour rooms and new-born care units.
Dr Yadav said the campaign was organised with support from the Government of India, UNICEF, the Indian Academy of Paediatrics, Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India, Trained Nurses’ Association of India and the Indian Medical Association.
The campaign was conducted across more than 18 states, with hospitals and medical institutions simultaneously hosting training sessions.
Describing the campaign as a “national mission to save new-born lives,” Dr Yadav stressed that everyone involved in childbirth and new-born care must be properly trained because “timely and correct resuscitation procedures can significantly improve new-born survival and health outcomes.”
The programme was conducted under the nationwide message: “One Day – One Nation – One Mission – Saving New-born Lives with Every Breath.”
