Jharkhand recorded lowest rate of birth registration in the country, after Bihar and Chhattisgarh as per annual health survey 2011. Out of 100 children born in Jharkhand, only 46 births are registered and out of it only 11 children get birth certificates.
To curb this a state level workshop to ensure universal birth registration and certification in Jharkhand was organized by the Department of Planning and Development in collaboration with UNICEF on Wednesday. Planning Department Secretary Avinash Kumar said, “Birth registration is important for all citizens. Data on births and deaths forms the basis of all government programmes. Birth registration is mandatory for all and we must provide this facility as and when requested by citizens. There are some roadblocks in ensuring this service to all, but the department is trying to ensure these are removed.”
He added, “The pillars of support are the Health Department, Directorate of Economics and Statistics, gram panchayats and Municipal Corporation. We shall link up with them to see why we are not able to reach our goal of 100 per cent registration. It is because of lack of awareness, information or is it a problem of implementation. We are trying to communicate to the people so they can be made aware. E-district service piloted in Ranchi will be implemented in the remaining 23 districts. This will help in achieving the target and ensure birth registration for all.”
UNICEF Jharkhand Chief Job Zachariah laid emphasis on birth certificate as birth right of every child. He said, “As per Convention on Rights of the Child, every child has the right to name, nationality and parentage. Birth registration serves many purposes. It is the proof of identify and place and date of birth. It enables the child to get services and entitlements like scholarships, PDS, passport, Adhar card, Mukhyamantri ladli laxmi Yojana etc. Birth registration helps in better planning and arrive data on mortality rates, sex ratio, fertility etc.” He further added that 60 per cent of the deliveries are witnessed in homes. Anganwadi workers should report home births at the Gram Panchayat, obtain birth certificate from panchayat sevaks and then hand it over to the parents without their request for birth certificates.
In the case of births in Government hospitals, he suggested that Medical Officer should register the birth immediately and hand over the birth certificate to parents before discharge. Otherwise, it could be sent to parents by speed post. About 20 per cent of births are in government hospitals. Private hospitals should be made responsible for reporting births at panchayats, municipality or nagar nigam within three weeks of the births, as the case may be. About 20 per cent of births in the state are in private hospitals.
Department of Planning Special Secretary D K Saxena, said, “We have the legal framework, responsibilities and process in place. During this workshop we will try to identify the bottlenecks, hindrances and difficulties and then try to find solutions and a way forward.” Programme & Policy Officer UNICEF Kumar Premchand, said, “In Jharkhand, the highest rate of birth registration is in East Singhbhum (77 per cent), followed by Ranchi (72 per cent), West Singhbhum (71per cent), and lohardaga (65per cent). lowest rates are in Pakur (24per cent), Dumka (28per cent), Sahibganj (29per cent) and Chatra (29 per cent), as per Annual health Survey 2010-11.
There is a need to focus on strengthening the reporting system and build capacity of all registrars in Jharkhand.” Suresh lakra, District Statistical Officer, Dhanbad district presented a case study on how Dhanbad improved birth registration and certification. It has initiated a programme to deliver birth certificates at the door step of homes.