Strict Adherence to Supreme Court Guidelines Needed to Prevent Abduction of Newborns in Hospitals – Legislative Council Deputy Chairperson Dr. Neelam Gorhe

Mumbai : Legislative Council Deputy Chairperson Dr. Neelam Gorhe has emphasized the strict implementation of Supreme Court guidelines to prevent the abduction of newborns in hospitals and to ensure their safety. She stated that following these guidelines diligently would help curb incidents of newborn abductions and trafficking.

Dr. Gorhe was speaking during a special review meeting held at the Vidhan Bhavan, which she chaired. District Collectors from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Hingoli, Dharashiv, Nanded, Beed, Parbhani, Washim, and Latur, as well as the Executive Director of the Gopinath Munde Sugarcane Workers Welfare Corporation, and other concerned officials attended the meeting virtually. The meeting involved detailed discussions on women’s health, safety, and rights.

Dr. Gorhe expressed concern over the lack of compliance with the Supreme Court’s directives in hospitals and also pointed to the rising instances of maternal deaths post-delivery due to negligence in healthcare facilities.

She further highlighted the need for sanitary napkins for women sugarcane workers, and stressed the importance of finding eco-friendly alternatives and effective disposal systems. She suggested forming a dedicated committee of women officers to address this issue.

Dr. Gorhe also underscored the significance of the government’s decision to administer cervical cancer prevention vaccines to girls aged 16 to 19, and called for increased public awareness on the subject.

For effective implementation of women’s health schemes, she stressed the need for better coordination between the Health Department and the Women and Child Welfare Department, and advocated for the proper utilization of the three percent budget allocation for these programs.