The 30th IPA Congress and 60th Annual Meeting of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (PEDICON 2023) were inaugurated by Gujarat Chief Minister, Shri Bhupendra Patel at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar on Monday. The conference's theme of 'Quality Care for Every Child, Everywhere' was highlighted by the CM, who stressed the state's holistic healthcare approach for children.
The government of Gujarat conducts free health check-ups for over 1.5 crore children every year through intensive implementation of Shala Arogya- Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK). Furthermore, the state has administered 36 lakh doses of the PCV vaccine, which protects children from pneumonia, free of cost to 13 lakh children. The CM also noted the state's reduction in child mortality rate from 60 per thousand to 25 per thousand and the increased number of Khilkhilat vans that transport newborns and pregnant mothers to safe homes.
The CM also recalled the important contribution of Dr. Dilip Mahalanabis, inventor of ORS, and the mentor to pediatricians. The state's advanced technology pediatric heart disease hospital, which is the first of its kind in the country and operational at U.N. Mehta Complex in Ahmedabad, was also mentioned.
The inauguration was attended by prominent individuals from the IAP and IPA, including IAP President-2023 Dr. Upendra Kinjawadekar, IPA President Elect Dr. Naveen Thacker, and IPA President Professor Enver Hasanoglu.
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