Samagra Shishu Bal Swasthya Karyakram (SSBSK): India’s New Mission for Comprehensive Child Healthcare

India has launched the Samagra Shishu Bal Swasthya Karyakram (SSBSK) and will improve the child healthcare in the country. It was introduced by the Respectable Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda during the 16th Central Council of Health and Family Welfare (CCHFW) Meeting and it provides a unified framework for home and community-based care from birth to 36 months.

What Is Samagra Shishu Bal Swasthya Karyakram (SSBSK)?

Samagra Shishu Bal Swasthya Karyakram (SSBSK) is the national child health initiative which is designed to ensure continuous healthcare support for every child during the first three years of the life. It is guided by the vision of “पहले तीन साल सम्पूर्ण देखभाल” it means that (Comprehensive Care During the First Three Years), this program combines the existing Home-Based Newborn Care (HBNC) and Home-Based Care for Young Child (HBYC) schemes into a single integrated framework.

The program recognizes that the first 28 days are crucial for the newborn’s survival, while the first three years are essential for their brain development, nutrition, and overall physical and emotional growth.

Key Features of SSBSK

One of the major highlights of the SSBSK is its risk-stratified approach and it ensuring that children with greater health risks receive additional care and monitoring.

Children identified as “At-risk” include those with the,

• Low birth weight
• Premature birth
• Delayed breastfeeding initiation
• Discharge from newborn care units
• Malnutrition
• Recurrent illnesses
• Developmental delays

These children will receive the extra home visits based on their medical needs. At-risk newborns will receive up to nine home visits during the first 42 days, while the at-risk children can receive up to eight additional visits until they reach to the 36 months of age.

Strengthening Community-Based Healthcare

SSBSK strengthens the coordination among frontline healthcare workers, including the,

• Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs)
• Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs)
• Community Health Officers (CHOs)
• Anganwadi Workers (AWWs)

Joint visits by the ANMs and CHOs have been also introduced on Day 3 and Day 7 after birth for at-risk newborns and during the third and sixth months for at-risk children. These coordinated visits aim to improve the early diagnosis, counseling, treatment and timely referrals whenever required.

Early Screening and Developmental Care

To improve the early identification of health concerns, SSBSK introduces the Well-Baby Sessions during every Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Day (VHSND).

In addition, monthly Shishu Shivirs will be organized at the Ayushman Arogya Mandirs to provide the developmental screening, growth monitoring and comprehensive child healthcare services closer to the communities.

The program also integrates with the maternal mental health screening into post-partum care. ASHAs will conduct the early assessments and facilitate referrals whenever necessary and recognizing that a mother’s well-being directly influences the child health and development.

Promoting Early Childhood Development

Apart from the medical care, SSBSK places the strong emphasis on nurturing early childhood development.

Healthcare workers will encourage the,

• Responsive parenting
• Early learning activities
• Age-appropriate play
• Child safety practices
• Active family participation

The program also addresses the emerging concerns related to excessive screen time among young children. It also promotes physical activity, social interaction, and mental stimulation during the first three years to support their healthy cognitive, emotional, and social development.

Digital Integration to Improve Healthcare Delivery

Technology is another major pillar of the SSBSK initiative. This program will use the digital tools such as Decision Support Systems (DSS), child-wise digital tracking, referral mechanisms, and automated alerts to ensure the continuous monitoring of at-risk children.

It will also integrate with national digital health platforms, including the,

• JANANI Portal
• U-WIN Portal
• MPCDSR Portal
• RBSK 2.0 Portal
• POSHAN Tracker

Using the ABHA and Baal-ABHA IDs, these systems will enables the seamless sharing of health records and improve continuity of care across healthcare facilities.