City to adopt Andhra model to curb female foeticide

Bengaluru: Despite years of awareness campaigns and preventive measures, female foeticide continues to remain a concern in parts of Karnataka. To address this, the state government is planning to introduce a new initiative in Bengaluru, modeled on Andhra Pradesh’s successful programme.

Authorities have found that a large number of pregnant women’s medical data is going missing. In many cases, after registering for maternity cards, there is no further record of regular check-ups, deliveries, or the health status of mother and child. Officials also suspect that some cases involve abortions carried out at private hospitals, making it difficult to track and categorize such data. To tackle this, a new scheme titled “Save Mom” will soon be rolled out in Bengaluru. Based on the Andhra model, the scheme will use an online application to track pregnant women across BBMP limits. The app is designed to ensure that even if expectant mothers visit private or out-of-town hospitals, their details will remain updated and traceable.

The initiative will track a woman’s health from the time of pregnancy until the child turns two years old. Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) will play a key role by uploading complete details into the application, ensuring that data gaps are minimized.

A pilot project has already been developed, and the government is preparing to launch it on a larger scale in the city. Officials hope that the new system will prevent missing records, improve maternal and child health monitoring, and contribute significantly to curbing female foeticide.