Taking steps to arrest trend of declining sex ratio: JK Min

The Jammu and Kashmir government today expressed concern over the trend of declining sex ratio in the state and said several steps are being taken to arrest the fall.
The government has decided to dedicate 2013 as the year of "Save the Girl Child".
JK minister for Health, Shabir Ahmed, said during a discussion in the Assembly here that more steps will be taken to reverse the trend.
"Several steps were taken to reverse the trend of declining sex ratio and department of health has dedicated the year 2013 to Save the Girl Child," Ahmed told during a discussion on demand of grants of Health department.

Performance based awards have been introduced in the Health department to encourage the doctors and para-medicos, he told the Assembly.
Sex ratio in the state is 883 for each 1000 male, which is below national average of 940 as per census 2011. In 2001, the sex ratio of female was 900 per 1000 males.

Khan said to upgrade healthcare facilities, especially in the inaccessible areas, the government would establish 400 new health sub-centres besides 11 mobile medical units in the state during next financial year.
Health infrastructure development in the state was top priority of the government, he said.
"A massive hospital construction developmental programme has been taken up at a total cost of Rs 1,419 crore across the state against which Rs 777 crore have been spent so far under Centre and state plans and the balance amount of Rs 648 crore is required for completion of on going projects which is being managed under the flagship programme NRHM and state plan," he said.

In order to streamline the process of procurement of drugs and supplies, he said the government has proposed setting up of JK Medical Supplies Corporation.
He said that Drug Policy has been framed to facilitate procurement, management of essential and generic drugs in government hospitals and it would also help in rational use of drugs in the state.
The School Health Programme, reversing the trend of declining sex ratio, decreasing neo-natal mortality rate will be the areas of focus this year, the minister said.
Khan said that infant mortality rate in 2011 was 41 out of 1,000, while as maternal mortality ratio was 70 out of one lakh live births in the state.

The minister said that so far 4,817 additional doctors and paramedics were engaged under NRHM. Under Janani Surkasha Yojna(JSY) 4.67 lakh beneficiaries have been benefitted upto January 2013 and percentage of institutional deliveries has increased to 88.9 per cent.