Initiative to detect active TB cases in UP and Uttarakhand
The initiative is undertaken by the Institute of Heart and Lung Diseases (IHLD) in collaboration with Krafton India.
The Uttarkashi district administration has started investigation in three blocks of the district where zero birth of girl child was registered in the past three months. A team consisting of 26 members will be conducting a door-to-door survey in 133 villages of Dunda, Bhatwari and Naugoan blocks. Very recently a shocking database forced the Uttarkashi district administration to conduct an in-depth investigation in three blocks where 216 birth took place in 90 odd days and none of the newborns was a girl child.
The media report forced Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Rawat to intervene and ask the concerned district to verify the data. The State Health Directorate has asked ANM, working in the area, to authenticate the data. The 26 member team started the field investigation work from Monday. Deputy CMO (Uttarkashi) Dr Chandan Rawat said, “The team has started work at the ground level. We expect the operation to complete by one week.”
District level officers will be supported by Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers and health workers in the data verification drive. Each officer will cover 4-5 villages.
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The data has created a shockwave in Uttarakhand. According to the district health department, 51 childbirths took place in 27 villages of Dunda block and all were boys. Even in Bhatwari block, similar trend prevailed and among the 49 newborn babies not even a single was a girl child. In Naugaun block, 47 deliveries were performed in 28 villages, 29 other in 20 villages in Mori, 23 deliveries in 16 villages in Chinayalisaur and 17 other in 14 villages in Purola. All newborn were boys.
The investigation will prepare a database of 0-6 year kids from 133 villages. The data of newborn, their sex, pregnant women, etc will be collected. The data has surprised all as most villages are located in remote locations. But, everyone agrees that the database cannot be completely wrong. They fear that female foeticide is taking place in some format.
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