Latest news with #SAHELI
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Haryana to shoots off notices on 393 anganwadi workers over illegal abortions
Haryana health department on Tuesday decided to issue show-cause notices to 393 anganwadi workers whose areas reported cases of illegal abortions, involving pregnant women who already had one or more daughters. The decision was taken during a review meeting chaired by additional chief secretary (health) Sudhir Rajpal, who assessed the progress of the ongoing campaign against illegal abortions, illegal sex determination tests and misuse of Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) kits. A government spokesperson said that these anganwadi workers were assigned as SAHELIs (companions) to provide counselling and support to expectant mothers with daughters, under a targeted monitoring programme. The show-cause notices were recommended due to their failure to prevent or report illegal abortions in their designated areas. The SAHELI initiative, part of the state's strategy to combat female foeticide, assigns an ASHA or anganwadi worker to monitor and support each pregnant woman who already has one or more daughters. Over 50,000 such women are currently being tracked across the state by civil surgeons and health officials. Rajpal directed the women and child development department to take immediate action against the negligent workers and to intensify efforts to prevent sex-selective practices. He also ordered strict surveillance of all MTP and ultrasound centres to curb illegal sex determination and abortion procedures. The ACS also called for 100% registration of births, especially in districts like Mewat, Gurugram, Palwal and Faridabad, where underreporting of child birth is common. He also instructed deputy chief medical officers to organise birth registration camps in slum areas and mobilise inter-district inspection teams to investigate any complaints of illegal abortions or sex selection. Officials were also asked to actively involve NGOs, ASHA workers, panchayati raj representatives and community leaders in promoting the 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' campaign, aimed at improving the status of girl children in the state.
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
All abortions in last 6 months under govt lens as Gurgaon bottom of SRB table
Gurgaon: Haryana govt has directed authorities in four districts with the state's lowest sex-ratio at birth (SRB) – Gurgaon, Palwal, Karnal and Charkhi Dadri – to scrutinise all abortion cases in the past six months to check for any signs of illegal practices. Haryana govt's latest data for Jan-June 2025 ranked Gurgaon at the bottom of the list, with SRB at 855. SRB in Charkhi Dadri was logged at 859, Palwal 874 and Karnal 906. Sex-ratio at birth (SRB) is the count of girls born for every 1,000 boys. Additional chief secretary (health and family welfare) Sudhir Rajpal on Tuesday directed these districts to review all medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) cases, and investigate further if there is any suspicion of pre-natal sex determination. Civil surgeons have been asked to oversee the probe. Rajpal sought reports on abortion cases from senior medical officers (SMOs) deployed at community health centres across Haryana. Disciplinary action was initiated against the SMO of Uttawar in Palwal for dereliction of duty after the state task force identified several lapses in protocol at the facility. Tuesday's orders are the latest in a series of measures announced amidst growing concern over declining SRB in Haryana. In 2024, thirteen out of the state's 22 districts reported a drop in the number of girls born per 1,000 boys, bringing the state's overall SRB down to 910 — the lowest since 2016. Govt has warned doctors that any involvement in pre-natal sex determination or illegal abortions will prompt authorities to cancel their medical licences. Similarly, health department officials have been tasked to identify quacks who pose as doctors and facilitate abortions. Rajpal also directed the deputy commissioners of the four districts to crackdown on illegal abortion centres and halt any unauthorised sale of abortion kits. Chief medical officers and senior health officials will be held accountable if these districts don't improve their SRB, Rajpal said. Govt has told community health workers – in an initiative called 'SAHELI' – to counsel pregnant women against any reluctance to have a girl child. Community health staffers will also be held responsible if illegal abortions are carried out under their watch, the ACS said at the meeting on Tuesday. Districts have been told to take police help for raids at suspected abortion centres. And the ACS on Tuesday issued show-cause notices to DSPs of the four districts for negligence in duty. "Officials have been instructed to track repeat offenders and monitor their activities closely. Additionally, all IVF centres in the state will undergo data revalidation and operational audits to detect and prevent illegal sex selection practices," said Rajpal. According to govt data, recent measures have shown some improvement. Haryana's SRB improved to 943 in the first week of June, from 910 last year. The number of MTP kit wholesalers in Haryana has also dropped to 3, from 32, in the past six weeks.
