India announces plans to improve adolescent health, evaluate progress on child survival

"India's health ministry has announced plans to improve the health of adolescents and also to evaluate progress of states and districts on child survival under a fresh package of initiatives to reduce mortality among children under five years old," BMJ reports. "The announcement, made at a summit on child survival held on 7 to 9 February in the town of Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, has been hailed by international, non-governmental, and donor agencies," the journal writes. "At the summit, the health ministry released documents that it said described 'operational guidelines' to integrate adolescent health services with reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health activities," according to BMJ, which adds, "The ministry also indicated that it would track child health services across the country and offer states incentives and disincentives, depending on their performance" (2/13).