Andhra Pradesh Child Rights Commission expresses concern after finding minor mothers at Old GGH

Andhra Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights members during their recent inspection of the Old GGH in Vijayawada.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The members of the Andhra Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (APSCPCR) were surprised when they found many minors among the new mothers at the Old Government General Hospital (GGH) during an inspection.

“When we enquired about the age of some of the new mothers, they admitted that they were minors. A few of them said that they had two children before they turned 18,” APSCPCR Chairman Kesali Appa Rao said.

Mr. Appa Rao and APSCPCR members T. Adi Lakshmi, G. Seetha Ram and J. Rajendra Prasad visited the Old GGH a few days ago and enquired about the facilities, safety of infants and their health condition.

“We found some mothers taking care of their babies in the Mother and Newborn Care Unit (MNCU). Asked about their age, they revealed that they were aged below 18 years,” Mr. Appa Rao told The Hindu on Friday.

In some cases, the weight of the babies was less as the mothers were either not in the age to bear a child or anaemic. Doctors noticed that some minor mothers were delivering babies in the Old GGH, says the paediatricians of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) who accompanied the APSCPCR team during the inspection.

“We interacted with some young mothers and their attendants in the waiting hall and MNCU. They said that they got married at the age of 15 years,” Ms. Adi Lakshmi said.

APSCPCR member Rajendra Prasad said the young girls giving birth tells it all aboput the prevalence of child marriages in the State.

The Anganwadi and ASHA workers, teachers, sachivalayam staff, Women Development and Child Welfare, police and all other departments should initiate measures to prevent child marriages, Mr. Seetha Ram said.

“Of the ten mothers we spoke to at the Old GGH, four got married when they were minors. Instructions have been issued to the hospital authorities to submit the details of admissions, out-patients, age of mothers, caesarian procedures done, implementation of Janani Suraksha Scheme and other particulars,” Mr. Appa Rao said.

“I am 18 now. I got married two years ago,” said a new mother who delivered a baby 15 days ago.