COIMBATORE: The data on Coimbatore’s sex ratio at birth from April to October this year brings to fore a very pertinent question – Where are the girls? According to the data released by the health department, in 2020, 940 girls were born for every 1,000 boys. The number girls born in 2019-20 was 945. Among 328 Health Sub Centres in the district, the sex ratio at birth was less than 900 in 149 and the ratio was between 900 and 940 in 25 centres.
The data has also paved the way for suspicion among the health department officials as they doubt that there could be some private hospitals and scan centres in the district that carry out sex determination scans illegally for hefty amount. The family welfare department officials are now trying to analyse whether the trend is natural or whether it is due to female foeticide.
Speaking to TNIE, Collector K Rajamani said that stringent action would be taken against private hospitals or scan centres that are carrying out sex-selective abortions. “We aim to improve the sex ratio at birth in the district.
We will be sensitising the private institutions about the Pre-conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques [Prohibition of Sex Selection] (PCPNDT) Act,” he said. Going by the data, the sex ratio at birth was less than 900 in primary health centres located in Thudiyalur, Ramanathapuram, Selvapuram, Seranaickenpalayam, Vadavalli, Peelamedu, Singanallur, Gandhi Park, Town Hall in the city.
Similarly, Valparai and Mettupalayam municipality areas, Karamadai, Anaimalai in rural areas have a sex ratio lower than 900. Health department sources hinted that this year the number of girls born was below 2,400. “If the trend continues, the sex ratio at birth is likely to get worse in the coming years.
This could also lead to sociological problems,” they pointed out. When contacted, Deputy Director of Health Services G Ramesh Kumar said, “We have started analysing the records of private hospitals and scan centres in the areas that recorded a low sex ratio at birth.” Ramesh, also said that the health department with the help of the village health nurses is monitoring the pregnant women who have registered during the 12th week of their pregnancy.
Professor and Head of the Department of Obsteristics and Gynecology in Coimbatore Medical College Hospital, R Manonmani, said that woman who undergo abortion would become weak, may experience severe blood loss and experience mental health problems. “Currently, abortion is performed only on women suffering from various medical conditions or on those having malnourished foetus,” she said and riled out any instances of sex-selective abortion in the district.