'Govt. keen on combating infanticide'

By Our Special Correspondent

SALEM, NOV. 27. The Ministries of Health and Social Welfare will work in coordination with Collectors and social service organisations to make a frontal attack on female infanticide, Mr. S. Semmalai, Minister for Health, said.

Addressing the workshop on `Eradication of female infanticide and revival of the cradle baby scheme' jointly organised by the Commissioner of Social Welfare and the UNICEF here on Tuesday, Mr. Semmalai said the DANIDA data revealed that female infanticide in the State was 15.8 per 1000 live births.

This practice was rampant in Salem district where 54.3 female children were killed for every 1000 live births. Dharmapuri accounted for 42.1 female infanticides, Theni 36.1, Madurai 20.4, and Vellore 24.6.

The Government had set a target of bringing down the infant mortality rate from around 52 per 1000 live births now to 30 at the end of 2005. To achieve it, the health machinery had been geared up. For instance, in Vellore and Thiruvallur districts, `Border District Programme' had been launched to create an awareness among rural people of the advantages of having institutional delivery and periodical prenatal check-up.

Committees were constituted at ward, village and town levels, comprising influential persons to educate the people on the safe delivery system, Mr. Semmalai said, adding that a comprehensive health system development project on an outlay of Rs.650 crores had been forwarded to the World Bank for assistance. A Memorandum of Understanding had been signed with Finland for strengthening the tertiary sector.

Scan centres

Invoking the Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994, stringent action would be taken against scan centres which had not registered themselves, the Minister said. Of 1,541 centres in the State, about 40 were yet to be registered. He warned that any person owning a scan centre and disclosing sex of the foetus was liable for imprisonment and fine. This was a cognisable and non- bailable offence.

Cradle scheme

The Minister for Social Welfare and Noon Meal Programme, Ms. B. Valarmathi, said the Government had allocated Rs 12.96 lakhs for the revived `cradle baby scheme'.

It was proposed to set up four `reception centres' in Madurai, Dindigul, Theni and Dharmapuri districts. Each centre would be equipped with 12 cradles and other amenities and would function round-the-clock.

The Minister said 188 more cradles would be placed at Primary Health Centres, government hospitals and social welfare offices in the four districts and also in Namakkal and Erode.

Babies received through the cradles would be sent to the reception centres, from where they would be entrusted to the recognised organisations. The organisations, in turn, would give the children in adoption.

The Minister called upon the institutions to ensure that they were giving away children in adoption to right persons. During 1992-1996, 140 female children were received. However, the scheme was abandoned by the DMK Government.

The Collector, Dr. J. Radhakrishnan, said given the magnitude of female infanticide in Salem, it was the right place to host the workshop. There were five cradle babies in the centre run by the Social Welfare Department here, he added.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : Focus on Gopal and his team
Next     : Swaminathan panel to cut govt. expenditure