More than cent per cent births and deaths were registered in Hyderabad district in the last couple of years, thereby topping all the districts in securing the vital information for the medical and health department.
A recent review of district-wise reporting and registration levels showed the number of births registered in the capital in the year 2009 to be little more than 1.7 lakh, with the registration percentage being more than 100 per cent.
Officials explained that more than cent per cent of expected births is because women from the districts coming to the capital for better medical treatment during deliveries. Deaths registration, too, was more than 100 per cent.
In 2008, too, registration was good with more than cent per cent reportage of births sticking to the 21 per cent growth and the death rate coming to nearly seven per cent. However, the same reportage is missing in the other 22 districts. In fact, overall State average is not even 50 per cent, standing at 45.2 per cent.
Neighbouring Ranga Reddy had only 53 per cent birth registrations. Krishna district was the second best with 63 per cent; other districts which crossed the 50 per cent mark were West Godavari and Nellore, with 53.5 per cent and 51.3 per cent respectively.
Among the ‘poor performing' districts in 2009 are: Srikakulam (one per cent), Vizianagaram (five per cent), Mahaboobnagar (11.4 per cent) and East Godavari (17.8 per cent). Others are all in the 25 per cent to 45 per cent category.
Officials here attribute better reportage not only because of higher awareness levels among people but also due to far reaching initiatives like online connectivity with hospitals and nursing homes besides reaching out to organisations like the Indian Medical Association (IMA).
Maternity hospitals were also warned of penal action if births and deaths were not reported to the respective municipal circle offices within 21 days of the event. Of the 950 hospitals registered, about 500 have been networked with municipal circle offices where real-time information is fed in.
“Earlier, hospitals and sub-registrars in each circle were waiting for each other to provide information. But, we have made it mandatory for hospitals to keep updating the information as frequently as possible while it is updated on our server every day,” said a senior official.
To ensure registration is made, one free certificate, either birth or death, is issued whenever the entry is made, he added.
