Discussions Focus on Further Strengthening Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Services in Rajasthan
UNICEF-State Government Partnership to Scale Up Innovative and Evidence-Based Solutions
Principal Secretary Welcomes Proposal to Link Child Rights with Pre-Service Medical Education
Jaipur, September 2026: The state government is continuously working to make maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health services in Rajasthan more effective, quality-oriented and equally accessible. In this direction, UNICEF India Deputy Representative Jesper Moller met Principal Secretary, Medical and Health Department, Gayatri Rathore, at the Secretariat on Tuesday and held detailed discussions on the progress of health services in the state and upcoming priorities.
The meeting focused on strengthening maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health services and ensuring access to quality healthcare, particularly for vulnerable and underserved sections of society. Both sides expressed their commitment to further strengthen the ongoing partnership between the Rajasthan Government and UNICEF and work together towards addressing emerging health challenges, promoting innovation and achieving improved health outcomes.
Discussing equity gaps in healthcare services, Jesper Moller said the government has the capacity to deliver services on a large scale, while UNICEF can support the state by providing innovative, evidence-based solutions and effective models. The meeting discussed the possibilities of scaling up such solutions and making health services more effective.
The need to further strengthen a life-cycle approach to healthcare and improve convergence and coordination among various departments was also emphasised. The objective is to strengthen health services through a comprehensive approach covering children and adolescents as well as mothers and newborns.
The UNICEF Deputy Representative proposed incorporating a child rights perspective into pre-service medical education. Principal Secretary Gayatri Rathore welcomed the proposal and requested UNICEF to provide a detailed concept note in this regard so that necessary action could be taken to take the proposal forward.
Moller also briefed the Principal Secretary about his visit to the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) in Kishangarh during his Rajasthan visit. He said he had witnessed the dedicated efforts of doctors, nursing staff and other healthcare workers in saving the lives of vulnerable and critically ill newborns. He appreciated the commitment and spirit of service demonstrated by frontline healthcare workers.
The meeting also included preliminary discussions on UNICEF’s upcoming Country Programme for 2028–2032 and Rajasthan’s priorities. Emphasis was placed on the importance of continued UNICEF support to address new and emerging health challenges, sustain existing achievements and bridge gaps in areas where further intervention is required.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Rajasthan Government and UNICEF reiterated their commitment to taking forward their cooperation to further strengthen newborn and child health systems and ensure better health outcomes for every child in the state.
Principal Secretary Gayatri Rathore said the state government is continuously working to ensure that the benefits of healthcare services reach every section of society equally. She emphasised that timely and quality healthcare services must be made available, particularly to vulnerable groups such as mothers, newborns, children and adolescents.
