Sex ratio at birth improves in 14 districts, dips in six

SEX RATIO AT BIRTH IS THE NUMBER OF GIRLS BORN FOR EVERY 1,000 BOYS. THIS DATA IS COLLECTED ANNUALLY BY HEALTH MINISTRY

LUDHIANA: Sex ratio at birth (SRB) has slightly increased in 14 districts of Punjab and declined in six districts with Barnala, Ludhiana and Fatehgarh Sahib recording maximum improvement as compared to last year.

As the “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” campaign, an initiative of the Union ministry of women and child development kicked off across 20 districts of the state (excluding Fazilka and Pathankot) and on Monday, statistics reveal that the least improvement has been in Bathinda, from 885 in 2015-16 to 888 in 2016-17.

Sex ratio at birth is the number of girls born against every 1,000 boys. The data is collected annually.

A comparison of 2016-2017 sex ratio at birth in that state with that of 2015-2016, as per data of health ministry’s health management information system (HIMS), five districts, including Amritsar, Jalandhar, Mansa, Mohali, Muktsar and Nawanshahr (SBS Nagar), have registered a decline in the sex ratio at birth from the year 2015-16.

Of the 20 selected districts, the top five districts that showed improvement in sex ratio at birth

in 2016-2017 as compared to the previous year are Barnala, Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Sangrur and Patiala.

The aim of the “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” campaign is to address the issue of decline in the child sex ratio in critical districts through an awareness campaign as well as multi-sectoral interventions, which include registration of pregnancies in first trimester, increased institutional deliveries and prohibition of foetus sex determination.

Ludhiana deputy commissioner Pardeep Kumar Aggarwal said the district has recorded an improvement in the sex ratio at birth with 935 from 881 in 2015-16.

“Ludhiana stands second in the state showcasing a good improvement of 54 in the sex ratio at birth. We will strive to improve this,” he said.

While a detailed awareness chart for the six-day activities under the “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” campaign has been prepared, Day 3 of the week (October 11) will mark the celebration of birth of girl child by facilitating parents.

The week will also include door-to-door campaign by Asha workers who will visit each house and “Beti Bachao, Beti Padao” stickers will be pasted on houses and public buildings.