An elaborate action plan for the purpose was chalked out at a meeting held by District Development Officer Anju Sharma, Deputy Regional Director (Health) V M Shah and the District Chief Medical Officer Suhas Sabnis. Besides several senior officials, about a dozen representatives of non-governmental organisations were also present on the occasion. According to information, the project is a part of the grand five-year Rs 10.5-crore Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) Project of Union Government which is being executed only in Vadodara district in the State.

The camps scheduled to be held at schools, health centres and ashramshalas aims to involve a large number adolscent girls as well as newly married couples, who would be taught about safe sex, family planning and also gap between children. Infant mortality would be another important aspect of focus, an official spokesman said, adding that it was primarily due to lack of awareness among mothers about the nutrition and hygiene that mortality rate in the rural areas of Vadodara was high.

The meeting also decided to set up about 50 new maternity homes as many health sub centres and 19 gynaecology wards in remote areas of the district.