site.btaGovernment Adopts Three-Year Action Plan for Implementation of Maternal and Child Health Programme

The Council of Ministers on Wednesday approved a 2024-2026 action plan for the implementation of the National Maternal and Child Health Programme 2021-2030.

The plan aims to promote maternal and child health by raising public awareness of issues of reproductive health, family planning, pregnancy, childbirth, child care and healthy living for kids and young people; preventing high-risk behaviour related to health; and helping parents develop skills to look after prematurely born kids and children with disabilities and chronic illnesses.

Another highlight of the plan is to ensure sustainable operation of the 31 maternal and child consultation centres in Bulgaria's regional capitals. The plan further provides for the conduct of newborn hearing screening tests. The development of health services and integrated health-and-social services for preventing complications in chronically ill children is yet another key policy. It will involve setting up centres for comprehensive treatment of children with disabilities and chronic disorders and centres for health and social services for children with disabilities who need constant medical treatment.

Another objective is to develop home assistant services, which should include visiting children and parents in their homes to provide advice and information about healthy raising of the kids, nutritious diets, a healthy and safe environment, and early child development, among other matters.