Karnataka: Health department to set up task force to curb female foeticide

The Karnataka government is committed to curbing female foeticide and will implement a series of measures, including the formation of a task force.

To reinforce oversight, the Health Department's vigilance wing will be strengthened. Task forces will be established at both the state and district levels, comprising not only medical experts but also officers of the rank of Deputy SP or Assistant Commissioner of Police. Collaborative efforts with DPAR (Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms), Home, and other departments are underway to ensure the deployment of police officers to the Health Department.

These task forces will conduct surprise inspections and raids on healthcare facilities, gathering intelligence on the ground. Empowered to make arrests and initiate criminal proceedings, they will closely coordinate with the Police Department, other government branches, and civil society groups.

Adopting a strategy similar to Tamil Nadu, the task force will conduct decoy operations, monitor young mothers with female children for societal pressures, and provide counseling to discourage opting for medical termination of pregnancy.

Furthermore, the Health Department will collaborate with other departments and civil society groups to launch an information and communication campaign against harmful practices like prenatal sex determination and female foeticide.

To encourage reporting, the government will introduce a temporary telephone number for informers to share information related to female foeticide. This number will eventually integrate with the State's 104 Arogya Sahayavani, the health information helpline.