Meet to review physical, financial status of schemes Stressing on the need to focus on reducing the neonatal mortality in state, state health minister, Shabir Ahmad Khan, said that there was need to improve facility-based and home-based newborn care in state. He was addressing the chief medical officers and block medical officers of Kashmir division at a meeting here on Sunday. He said high neonatal mortality continued to be the area of grave concern in state. He said the infant mortality rate may have decreased from 52 in 2006 to 39 in 2012, but the neonatal mortality rate in state still remained a matter of concern. The minister stressed on the need to focus on reducing the neonatal mortality by improving facility-based and home-based newborn care. “There is a need to reduce neonatal mortality rate (NMR) in state by taking secure healthcare measures," the health minister said. The meeting was convened to review physical and financial status of several healthcare schemes implemented under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and state plan in Kashmir. Director health services, Kashmir, mission director, NRHM, director family welfare, controller drugs and food organisation were among other senior officers who attended the meeting. Expressing concern over the shortage of manpower, especially in rural and far-flung areas, the minister stressed the need for rationalisation of staff strictly as per the work load of institutions. He said under the NRHM the Centre has already made substantial increase in incentives of doctors and para-medics, who will serve in far-flung areas, adding that all gaps should be filled with the posting of manpower under the programme. He also stressed on strict observance of guidelines, while implementing various components of the NRHM. Laying stress on achieving the targets, the minister directed the officials to put in their best efforts for improvement of medical facilities at government health institutions.