Best Practices to increase Sex Ratio by improving Child Health Care

Background

In Ramanathapuram District, the sex ratio at birth at present is 965. The hurdles in increasing the sex ratio are Sex selection, Infant death etc., 

The sex selection is reduced by enforcing PCPNDT act ( Pre conception and Pre Natal Diagnostic technique Act,1994),  legal action against quacks who are indulging in illegal abortions.

As a part of creating awareness towards the importance of girl child, opening of savings account with first deposit as JSY amount is done on the same day of delivery with Birth Certificate as a proof. The same account can be used for operating Girls Protection Scheme.

The main attributing causes of infant deaths are   infection, malnutrition and congenital anomalies. To increase nutritional status, there by  increasing their immunity to prevent infection, exclusive Breast feeding practices are motivated by initiating breast feeding within 1 hour of delivery.

To improve Sex Ratio and to reduce Infant death

Periodical Meetings with proprietors of scan centres for all scan centers are being organised by JDMS  for  enforcement of PCPNDT act.

Legal action on quacks who indulge in illegal abortions are being carried out regularly with help of concerned VHN and other Health workers.

IEC  about importance of early registration of pregnancy is being given to all eligible couples, so that  all abortions are audited and illegal abortions are prevented

​To provide economical assistance for the girl child and to encourage savings

The Birth Certificate is being issued to all the neonates in Government all private medical institutions on the same day of delivery.

The scheme is primarily on creation of bank account with the birth certificate as a proof for every delivery especially for below poverty line(BPL) in the Govt. Institutions  and depositing the JSY (Rs.700/-) in their account through ECS so that this account acts as a savings for the future of the child.

Birth details are collected from private hospital and birth certificates are being issued and bank account is opened with the birth certificate.

To promote breast feeding practices in the district 

Institutional delivery in the district is 100%, for monitoring that all newborns are breastfed within one hour of birth in all Govt. primary Health Centers, Govt. Hospitals and all private institutions, a format was formulated and forwarded to all institutions.

All institutions are instructed to send the report (events from last week Saturday 8am to this week Saturday 8am) on every Saturday to Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine

Weekly audit of the above report is being conducted in their respective institutions and minutes of the same is to be sent to District Collector.

Monthly audit cum training meeting headed by District Collector, Joint Director of Medical Services (JDMS) and Deputy Director of Health Services (DDHS)  is conducted for nodal persons from all institutions.

Impact 

By effective enforcement of PCPNDT act and legal actions against illegal abortions, the Sex ratio can be increased.

Birth certificates are issued on the day of delivery and bank accounts are opened on the name of baby. JSY is being issued on the name of baby thereby creating awareness on savings and regular savings can be motivated. Girl child protection scheme amount also can be deposited in this account.

This scheme is aimed at encouraging people to save for girl child's education and marriage. It is a part of our district management efforts to encourage financial inclusion and increase domestic savings, which have fallen from 36% of gross domestic product in 2008 to 30% in 2013 and also to increase sex ratio. In the girl child protection scheme, for one girl child - Rs.22,200/- fixed deposit receipt in the name of girl child for the family which has only one girl child and Rs.15200/- for two girl children. It will be easy for depositing these amounts in this account.

While the account can be opened only by natural or legal guardians, the child can operate it after she turns 10 years.

By initiating breast feeding within one hour, IEC about importance of colostrum and promoting exclusive breast feeding for first 6 months of life, the emotional bonding between mother and child, nutritional status of the child and immunity of infant can be increased.

Key Takeaways

To Increase sex ratio by preventing sex selection by enforcement of PCPNDT act and legal action against quacks indulging in illegal abortions.

The Birth certificate is being issued to all babies delivered at the Government of private medical institutions on the same day of delivery.

A bank account is being opened for the new born on the day of delivery with birth Certificate as a proof on the day of delivery. Girl children protection scheme can be operated in the same account.

JSY has been deposited to that bank account through cash, cheque or draft.

To reduce Infant death, early initiation of breast feeding and promotion of exclusive breast feeding is done.

Source : India Knowledge Hub