The 22nd annual convention of National Neonatology Forum (NNF) was inaugurated by State Health Minister P Sankaran, here at Glfar International Convention Centre. In his inaugural address Sankaran said, steps should be taken to further reduce infant mortality rate and priority should be given to high risk babes to avoid handicaps.

The practice in neonatal care followed in western countries cannot be implemented here completely because of huge expenses involved, he said. It is only through low cost techniques and dedicated service that the care of new-born babes would be totally effective.

Dr. MK Muneer, Minister for PWD, released the souvenir for the convention and presented an award to Kochi branch of Indian Academy of Pediatrics. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Muneer also stressed on the need for cost-effective methods in neonatal care.

"Research should be given more emphasis and if less expensive treatment modalities can be implemented without compromising on quality, the treatment cost can be brought down and it will reach a wider section of the society" he said.

The inaugural function also marked the ceremonial installation of the new president Dr. Armida Fernandes by the out going president Dr. AK Dutta. In her presidential address Dr Armida said that NNF will focus more on high risk babies and community programmes to make the people more involved in the care of babies and mothers.

"More research is needed in the field of neonatal care to lessen morbidity and mortality rates among new born. Twelve lakh babes die in our country every year in the first month of life . We will need large chunks of people, from obstetrics to pediatricians, to work together to bring this number down," she said.

Dr Armida is also for more research to find out cost-effective measures for the care of the new born, to reduce infections and to improve the health of both the mother and child. She feels that India has a tendency to blindly follow the practices in Western countries.
"We had traditional baby massages but it was only after Western countries started accepting it as an effective method in neonatal care, especially for the pre-term babes, that we realized its importance. We also followed practice of keeping the baby away in a nursery just like they do abroad" she said.

Dr Neelam Kler, secretary of NNF, presented the annual report. Dr. M Venugoplal, chairman of the organising committee, Dr MKC Nair national president elect of Indian Academy of Pediatrics, Dr Jesson C Unni, president of Kerala chapter of NNF, Dr Varghese Cherian, president of Kochi chapter of Indian Academy of Pediatrics and Dr Tonny Mampilly, organising secretary spoke on the function. The convention will end tomorrow.