Gandhinagar, Jan 31 (IANS): Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Patel on Friday stressed the need for collective action to curb malnutrition, reduce infant and maternal mortality and eliminate anaemia.

Addressing a state-level health conference, he called upon village leaders and social workers to take moral responsibility for ensuring that no child or woman in Gujarat remains malnourished, no expectant mother succumbs to preventable complications, and every newborn receives proper care.

The conference, aimed to bring together various stakeholders to discuss priority health issues in the state and propose actionable recommendations to tackle them effectively, was organised by the Gujarat State Health System Resource Center, an initiative of the Health and Family Welfare Department of the state government.

Minister Patel lauded the initiative for creating a platform where experts from private and government sectors, including healthcare professionals, social workers, and policymakers, could deliberate on critical concerns such as maternal health, malnutrition, anaemia, and non-communicable diseases.

The state government will use insights from the discussions at the conference to prepare a result-oriented report and explore the implementation of key recommendations.

Speaking at the event, Principal Secretary of the Health and Family Welfare Department, Dhananjay Dwivedi, said ensuring citizens' well-being was not solely the healthcare system's responsibility but requires active social participation.

He emphasised that making Gujarat a leader in health indicators necessitates collective efforts from healthcare professionals, voluntary organisations, policymakers, and international agencies such as the WHO, World Bank, UNICEF, and Nutrition International.

The conference featured two dedicated sessions on maternal health, nutrition, adolescent anaemia, and non-communicable diseases.

Experts, voluntary organisation representatives, and Panchayati Raj officials shared their insights and experiences, addressing social determinants of health and strategies for wider community engagement.

A highlight of the event was the felicitation of 28 healthcare professionals, including Medical Officers, Multipurpose Health Workers, Staff Nurses, Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), and MT Pilots, who were honoured for their exceptional service beyond their regular duties.