Ludhiana, November 18
A seminar on female foeticide was organised by the Charity Medical Trust at Lifeline Hospital, Gill Road, here today. Representatives of various non-government organisations, human rights activists, community health volunteers, doctors. journalists, political leaders and sarpanches of various villages participated.
According to a press note, Jathedar Hira Singh Gabria was the chief guest and Dr
P.S. Jassi, consultant, UNICEF, was the guest of honour. Dr Jassi said there was a drastic decline in sex ratio in Punjab and if no remedial measures were adopted, there would be two males for one female.
Jathedar Gabria stressed upon awareness against female foeticide in rural areas. He said religious leaders and village sarpanches should be involved to eradicate the problem.
Dr
R.S. Maheshwari, president of the trust, said an awareness campaign should be launched in each village of Punjab against female foeticide. There should be job reservation for females. Education should be free of cost up to school level. Government should give insurance policy at low premium at the time of birth of a girl child. Family planning measures should be strictly accepted. Advertisements claiming birth of child of particular sex should be banned.
Dr Maheshwari added that members and health volunteers of the trust would go to urban and rural areas and convey the message against female foeticide. The trust would adopt 100 poor and needy girls for their education.
SAHNEWAL
Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association, Doraha Branch, hosted the 56th annual conference of the IMA, Punjab, at Aarti Palace, Sahnewal, today. The theme of the conference was ‘Female foeticide — a crime, let us fight it out’.
More than 25 speakers from various parts of the country delivered lectures at the conference.
The function was presided over by Dr J.S Gujral, Vice-Chancellor, Baba Farid University. He said the IMA strongly condemned gender bias and sex-selective abortions. He said, “IMA directs its members to refrain from unethical practices as regards female foeticide. Anybody found involved in such practices will lose his right to practise. We have decided to hold seminars and camps on the issue and fight the menace of female foeticide with full force and dedication.”
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Ketan Desai, National President of the IMA, said “We will ensure that doctors involved in female foeticide cases are not allowed to practise.”
Dr
O.P.S. Kande, President, IMA, Punjab, said, “According to a research conducted by a Bangalore-based society of obstetricians and gynaecologists, sex ratio, which was1, 072 in the beginning of the 20th century dwindled to 972 in 1961 and to 927 in 1991. He said earlier the decline was due to infanticide and now it was due to foeticide. He said “Various researches indicate that an estimated 6.7 million abortions take place in India every year. Most of these are conducted by unauthorised medical practitioners and more than 80 per cent of these are unsafe. About one-fifth of the 80,000 maternal deaths that occur globally due to unsafe abortions, take place in India”.
Dr
R.C. Garg, Secretary, IMA, Punjab, Dr L.S. Chawla, Dr H.S. Sidhu, Dr Sanjeev Malik, National Secretary, IMA, also spoke on the occasion.
Ms
R.K. Bhattal, former Chief Minister of Punjab, presided over the valedictory function.
