Latest news with #ReproductiveandChildHealth
Time of India
4 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Haryana set to roll out ‘pregnancy IDs' to tackle falling sex ratio
Gurgaon: Govt has decided that it will assign a unique ID to every pregnant woman, and it will be linked to her digital health record to help authorities monitor all cases and stop any illegal abortion attempt. The decision to assign 'pregnancy IDs' was taken at a weekly meeting of the state task force, chaired by additional chief secretary (health and family welfare) Sudhir Rajpal, in Chandigarh on Tuesday. The method of implementation for this process in all healthcare and maternity centres, including the private sector, is yet to be finalised It is the latest in a series of announcements made by Haryana govt over the past few months to improve the state's sex ratio at birth (SRB). Last year, thirteen of the state's 22 districts saw a fall in the sex ratio at birth, taking the state's overall SRB for the year to 910, its lowest since 2016. SRB is the count of girls born for every 1,000 boys. According to Tuesday's announcement, every pregnant woman must register with the local auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) or at a govt health facility within the first trimester (before 10 weeks of pregnancy). This data will be logged into the govt's Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) portal, which will assign a unique ID. This ID will be linked to the woman's health records, including her medical and personal details such as Aadhaar number, address, stage of pregnancy, etc. Officials said this digital record will help authorities monitor all cases, deter any illegal abortions and improve access to healthcare as well. "Unique IDs will enable the system to monitor pregnancies in real-time and identify any irregularities, especially in areas prone to gender-biased sex selection," Rajpal said. Health department officials told TOI that all registered ultrasound centres will be required to verify the pregnancy IDs before conducting the scans. This, they said, will help enforce the rule. The ID will help expecting mothers get access to govt healthcare schemes and benefits. The task force on Tuesday discussed other enforcement measures. The additional chief secretary was informed by the health department that four nursing homes in Palwal were sealed because unqualified medical practitioners were allegedly carrying out illegal abortions there. An FIR was registered and arrests were made after raids at the nursing homes. Officials said the state has restricted the number of wholesalers who deal in abortion kits from 32 to just five. Haryana has for decades struggled with a skewed sex ratio, often attributed to practices such as female foeticide and a preference for boys among families. The state's SRB, at 834, was the lowest in India when data for 2011 Census was collated. It improved its count to 923 by 2019 but the pandemic years saw a downturn. In the latest crackdown, Haryana govt directed all districts to register pregnancies and investigate any abortions beyond 12 weeks, particularly in cases in which the couple has one or more daughters. In April this year, govt also revoked registrations of 300 abortion centres and initiated action against over a dozen health department officials. These centres did not send weekly data on abortions and did not disclose reasons for allowing termination of pregnancy in some cases.
Hans India
11-05-2025
- Health
- Hans India
District immunisation officer reviews vaccination drive
Kurnool: Dr Naga Prasad Babu, District Immunization Officer, inspected the immunization programme underway at the Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) in Weaker Section Colony on Saturday. During his visit, he stressed the need to ensure that all prescribed vaccines are administered promptly to pregnant women and children under five years of age. Dr Babu directed healthcare workers to meticulously record vaccination details of children and expectant mothers in the U-WIN and Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) portals to maintain accurate records and ensure continuity of care. As part of efforts to strengthen maternal and child healthcare services, he announced the launch of the Kilkari Message System. Through this initiative, pregnant women will receive weekly voice messages providing crucial healthcare advice. A total of 72 pre-recorded messages, each lasting about 1 minute and 30 seconds, will be sent from the fourth month of pregnancy until one year after childbirth via calls from the number 0124-4451660. Dr Babu informed that if beneficiaries miss any message, they can dial 14423 to listen to them at their convenience. He clarified that these services are completely free of charge. The Kilkari messages will cover four key areas: maternal health, child health, immunization services, and family planning. Delivered in the voice of Dr Anita, the messages are designed to offer timely advice and guidance to mothers and expecting women, enabling them to make informed decisions and access essential healthcare services. Officials expressed confidence that the programme will help reduce maternal and infant mortality rates in the district. Dr Babu also urged ANMs and ASHA workers to raise awareness about the Kilkari Message System among all pregnant women and mothers with infants below one year of age to ensure maximum participation and benefit from the initiative.
