Take steps to decrease infant mortality rate in J&K, HC tells Govt

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Monday directed the government to take steps for decreasing the infant mortality in the state.

Disposing of a Public Interest Litigation, a division bench of the court also directed the government to enhance medical care facilities in all state-run hospitals.

The counsel representing government submitted before the court that infant mortality rate has been brought down by implementing the various measures as directed by the court since last several years.

He said in 2012, out of 2590 infants, admitted in both IPD & OPD in GB Pant, 350 died in five months alone.

Subsequently, the court had asked the medical superintendent of GB Pant Hospital to inform the court about the mortality rate since from 2012 till date.

In September 2015, the court had stressed need for providing all the basic facilities to the expectant mothers, observing that child when in womb must have all basic rights available to him which include proper nutrition and medical care.

The court observed that a child being a repository of future of nation, “earnest efforts have to be made by one and all to take care of a child when he is in womb of his mother as also when he breathes on the planet.”

“The child even in the womb of the mother has (to have) all basic human rights available to him. The mother, who helps the baby in her womb as a trustee is equally entitle to all the basic human rights which would further include the nutrition and medical care. These rights are recognized by Article 21 of the constitution,” the court had said.

The court had underlined that it was duty of the court to ensure that the basic human rights were made available to both mother and the child.

The court had also said that there was necessity to galvanise the health administrative set up in the whole state and effective steps were required to be taken to ensure no infant dies for want of medical care.