Bhopal, Dec 31: Madhya Pradesh has been declared first once again by Joint Review Mission of government of India in the national survey for better health facilities. Madhya Pradesh has secured 12 points in the survey leaving all the states behind, informed Health Minister Ajay Vishnoi on Sunday.

Ajay Vishnoi said that Madhya Pradesh has been getting first position for last consecutive years in the Joint Review Mission, which is a pointer towards ever-improving health services in Madhya Pradesh.

The fourth Joint Review Mission was held in July, in which Madhya Pradesh has been given A Grade.

The main points on the basis of which the Mission had assessed the health services in Madhya Pradesh included the percentage of districts furnishing tri-monthly financial progress report within deadline and percentage of district plans for special activities related to ensuring provision of health services to the neglected sections of society. Assessment of 24-hour Primary Health Centres, percentage of primary referral units, sample health facility, active state and district programme units, budget utilisation of RCH programme during the year 2006-07.

According to Vishnoi, the states which followed Madhya Pradesh, which got highest 12 points included Assam (10 points), Mizoram, Sikkim and Uttarakhand (9 points each), Manipur and Tripura (8 points each), Arunachal Pradesh and Orissa (7 points each), Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh (6 points each and Bihar and Meghalay (5 points each).

Madhya Pradesh was given highest marks successfully carrying out activities under National Rural Health Mission and launching various novel health schemes. This is indeed an important achievement.

On the basis of received points A Grade has been given by Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Tripura, B Grade to Arunachal Pradesh and Orissa, C Grade to Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh and D Grade to Bihar and Meghalay.

He said that in comparison to Joint Review Mission-2, seven out of 17 states have improved their performance in the Joint Review Mission-4. These states include the topper Madhya Pradesh followed by Assam, Mizoram, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Tripura. Under Joint Review Mission, assessment of RCH\NRHM programmes is done on the basis of mother-child health programmes and progress of other health schemes.

The Fourth Mission was conducted by government of India Health Ministry's Donor Coordination Division. It comprised representatives of UNICEF, UNMPA, DFID and secretary-level officers of states. The team comprising these representatives and officers reviewed the progress of RCH/NRHM programmes in the seven states and fixed grading on the basis of these programmes' progress.