AMALAPURAM: After 15 Public Health Centres (PHC) in Konaseema district have reported low birth rate of girls, the district adminstration has ordered an enquiry into the issue. Sex ratio at these PHCs has dropped to 724 females for 1,000 males.
While the stigma associated with the birth of a girl is said to be the cause for the skewed ratio, officials have decided to step up vigil at private scanning centres to check if they are violating pre-natal sex determination rules by revealing the gender of the foetus.
According to medical and health department officials, though the ratio of female per male should be 1,000/1,000 preferably, birth of 970 female as against 1,000 male can be considered a healthy rate. Anything lesser than that should be viewed seriously, officials said.
During the quarterly review of deliveries at the PHCs in the district, it came to notice that 15 PHCs have reported less than 970 births of girl child. These 15 PHCs reported birth ratio of 724 to 922 when compared to 1,000 male child births.
District collector Himanshu Shukla ordered an enquiry on this situation. Officials said the ‘unhealthy’ trend might lead to several complications. Eight years ago, a similar situation was reported in the erstwhile East Godavari district.
PHCs directed to identify reasons
The then commissioner of family welfare had immediately taken steps to monitor all scanning centres. Following this, the situation was gradually brought under control, official sources told TNIE. “The issue at Konaseema district in the 15 health centres needs to be corrected,’’ they remarked.
Konaseema district consists of 22 mandals with Amalapuram as its headquarters and three revenue divisions: Amalapuram, Kothapeta and Ramachandrapuram. The district has nine Community Health Centres, 46 Primary Health Centres and seven Urban Primary Health Centres and 11 scanning centres in these hospitals. Similarly, the district has 180 private hospitals with 60 private scanning centres. All these are under observation now, sources said.
Konaseema DM&HO Dr Bharat Lakshmi said they are trying to ascertain the causes of low female births in these 15 PHCs. “We have already given directions to the said PHCs to identify the reasons. The enquiry report will be submitted to the collector soon,” she said.