Mysore/Mysuru: Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has instructed the officers, to lay more emphasis on the stricter enactment of laws, pertaining to the prevention of female foeticide and to maintain sex ratio and to organise special awareness programmes.

Minister Rao came out with several observations and instructions, during the progress review meeting of Health and Family Welfare Department, Mysuru Division, at the auditorium of Regional Commissioner’s office in city on Monday.

Sex ratio

Referring to the statistics provided by officials, Rao said, in Mandya district alone,  the sex ratio is; 908 females per 1,000 males (which was corrected by the District Officers as 936 girl children, as mentioned in RCH data). While it was 915 in 2024, it was 879 in 2023, 882 in 2022, 872 in 2021 and 887 in 2020.

Does this mean, the prevention of female foeticide remains a mirage? asked Rao, who sounded sceptical over the effective action against female foeticide.

Zero Maternal Deaths

Quoting the Zero Preventable Maternal Deaths programme announced in 2025-26 budget, Rao categorically instructed the officers for effective implementation of the protocol in toto, to reduce maternal mortality rate. The mothers should be nursed with proper care, to prevent infant mortality rate too, added Rao.

Check caesarean…

The officers were told to encourage normal deliveries rather than performing deliveries through caesarean (C-section). A campaign involving both the Government and private hospitals should be conducted, he added.

Stating that, over 3,000 posts of Health Safety Officers are vacant in PHCs, Rao assured to fill at least 30 percent of the posts within July 2026.

Mysuru Division

Divisional Director of Health Department, Mysuru Division, Dr. Mallika said, the very division comprises four District Hospitals and six Medical Colleges, 2,249 Health and Welfare Centres and 96 Namma Clinics functioning among total 108 Namma Clinics sanctioned for Mysuru Division. 

MLC C.N. Manjegowda, Regional Commissioner Nitesh Patil, National Health Mission Director Dr. Avinash Menon Rajendran, Zilla Panchayat (ZP) CEO S. Ukesh Kumar, Mysuru District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. P.C. Kumaraswamy, Chamarajanagar DHO Dr. S. Chidambara and other officers were present.