Haryana to upgrade 29 newborn care units to keep mothers and sick babies together; Adds 19 ventilators worth Rs 7 crore units
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, November 4, 2026: Haryana is expanding family-centred care for hospitalised newborns by transforming its Special Newborn Care Units (SNCUs) into Mother Newborn Care Units (MNCUs), enabling mothers to stay close to their babies during treatment wherever medically appropriate.
Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Sumita Misra said on Wednesday that the state was also adding 19 neonatal ventilators worth approximately ₹7 crore to strengthen emergency care for critically ill newborns.
Haryana currently has 54 neonatal ventilators across 29 SNCUs. The additional equipment is intended to enhance the state’s capacity to provide timely respiratory support to vulnerable newborns.
The MNCU initiative aims to reduce avoidable separation between mothers and newborns by combining specialised medical treatment with maternal presence, breastfeeding support and family participation. Under the model, mothers will be encouraged to remain beside their babies and take part in their care under the supervision of trained doctors and nurses.
The Health Department said the initiative follows the World Health Organization’s principle of “zero separation”, which promotes keeping mothers and newborns together whenever clinically appropriate.
Mothers to participate in newborn care
A key component of the MNCU model is Kangaroo Mother Care, which involves skin-to-skin contact between a newborn and the mother or another appropriate caregiver. The practice can help regulate a baby’s body temperature, support breastfeeding and strengthen bonding, particularly for eligible premature and low-birth-weight infants.
Mothers will also receive guidance on breastfeeding, newborn nutrition, hygiene and recognising warning signs. Where appropriate, other family caregivers may participate in routine care under professional supervision.
The department said continuous maternal presence could help mothers build confidence in caring for their babies and reduce the distress caused by avoidable separation during hospitalisation.
Ambala and Kurukshetra facilities serve as models
The statewide expansion builds on mother-newborn care facilities established at district hospitals in Ambala City and Kurukshetra.
An implementation research study on Immediate Kangaroo Mother Care was initiated at District Hospital, Ambala City, by the Society for Applied Studies and the World Health Organization in collaboration with the Haryana government. The department said a district-level MNCU at a Level-2 healthcare facility was established there as part of the initiative.
A subsequent MNCU at District Hospital, Kurukshetra, became a model for the statewide programme. Health officials from districts across Haryana visited the facility to study its infrastructure, equipment, infection-control measures, staffing and clinical procedures.
The National Health Mission, Haryana, in coordination with the Society for Applied Studies, organised orientation visits to support district teams preparing to establish similar units.
All SNCUs to be upgraded
Dr. Misra had directed officials at the National Health Mission executive committee meeting on August 21 to establish or upgrade all SNCUs in Haryana as MNCUs by November 1, 2026.
The department said the initiative was being implemented in coordination with the Health and Family Welfare Department, National Health Mission, district health authorities and the Society for Applied Studies.
However, the information released on Wednesday did not specify how many of the state’s 29 SNCUs had completed the transition to the MNCU model.
Specialised treatment and infection control to continue
The department said maternal participation would be integrated with clinical assessment, monitoring and treatment. Depending on a newborn’s condition, care may include oxygen support, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), phototherapy for jaundice, feeding assistance and prescribed medication.
Newborns requiring more advanced treatment will continue to be referred to higher-level healthcare institutions when medically necessary.
Infection prevention will remain central to the programme, with procedures for hand hygiene, environmental cleaning, disinfection, biomedical waste management and movement within specialised care units.
The initiative also includes guidance for families before discharge on breastfeeding, Kangaroo Mother Care, newborn hygiene, warning signs and follow-up care. The department said the approach seeks to make newborn services more responsive to mothers and babies while maintaining clinical safety and medical supervision.