Bhubaneswar, May 16: The state directorate of family welfare started a State Maternal and Child Survival Cell on Thursday to accelerate implementation of reproductive and child health-II schemes.

Health and family welfare minister Sanatan Bisi inaugurated the cell.

The centre aims to strengthen state-level monitoring and supervision of programmes, besides undertaking reviews based on results.

While the national average of maternal deaths is 401 per 1 lakh and child mortality rate is 58 per 1,000, in Orissa the rate is 358 and 73 respectively. The government now proposes to bring the rate down to 250 and 50 respectively, by 2010.

The purpose behind the cell is to take decisions to strengthen the program implementation, Bisi explained. The cell will create enabling environment and fast track mechanisms and monitor 16 district cells that would be opened soon.

The state health and family welfare society recently entered into an agreement with United Nations Office for Projects Services, part of Norway-India Partnership Initiative that came forward to support.