The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : ‘Cradle and Bell’ to save abandoned babies

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Mar 05, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

‘Cradle and Bell’ to save abandoned babies

Parents can place newborns in the hospital cradle and leave

The lives of infants can be saved if immediate medical attention is given
The abandoned infant will be handed over to foster care centre by the hospital

HYDERABAD: Alarmed over the rise in incidents of newborns abandoned on roadsides dying for want of medical attention, health authorities in Hyderabad are planning to put an empty cradle and a bell in all government maternity hospitals so that these infants can at least be saved.

Authorities hope that parents of these infants would quietly place them in the cradle and ring the bell before disappearing. Infant abandoning has been quite rampant in the State capital and most of the times, newborns are left on roadsides, garbage bins and at places of worship. In a majority of the cases, the infants breathe their last before being found by someone.

The ‘Cradle and Bell’ concept was conceptualised by authorities as they were disturbed by the recurring instances.

“They are left in the open during nights for whatever reasons. The infants’ lives can be saved at least if immediate medical attention is given,” says District Health and Medical Officer (DM&HO) Ch. Jaya Kumari. “The abandoned infant will then be handed over to a foster care centre,” officials say.

Most of these abandoned infants are females and this has been the biggest worrisome developments. Technically, the police register a case immediately whenever an infant or its body is found. But the investigation does not progress anywhere as they cannot simply trace its parents. The ‘Cradle and Bell’ concept is one among several measures to be initiated by the authorities to save the girl child, prevent sex selection through scanning machines and female foeticide.

Pledge for students

Another novel scheme being contemplated by district authorities to spread awareness on female foeticide is to ‘script’ a pledge for college and class X students. “We will request college managements to make sure that the pledge is taken at least once a week,” officials said.

The pledge essentially makes the students take an oath that they will never commit and remain silent about sex determination and female foeticide.

In a related move to control rampant abuse of scanning machines to determine sex of the foetus, health authorities have announced a reward of Rs.5, 000 for informants. “If they provide accurate information about a clinic using a scanning machine illegally, then they will be rewarded,” official said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh