The government will take legal measures under the Kerala Public Health Act and under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita if people resort to unconventional and unscientific methods of childbirth at home, which can pose serious threat to the lives of mothers and newborn babies, Health Minister Veena George, has warned.
The government will also consider it a serious offence if people take to social media to promote home births as a better option, she said, while chairing a meeting of the health rapid response team here on Tuesday. It is a crime to deny medical attention to people, she added.
The health department’s figures indicate that an average of 400 home births take place in the State annually. Between April 2024 and February 2025, a total of 2,94,058 child births were reported in the State, of which, 382 took place in homes. Home births are taking place among the families of migrant labourers and in the tribal belt too.
The health department will conduct a study in detail on the reasons why people are choosing to deliver babies at home rather than in the safer environment of a hospital.
The department will conduct an organised awareness programme on the possible ill effects of conducting child births at home, with the involvement and cooperation of people’s representatives and social and religious organisations, it was decided at the meeting.
Districts have been directed to collect the data on home births in each region, the reasons for the same and to take follow-up action. Ms. George reiterated that the department will proceed with legal measures against people and social media channels which are giving out erroneous or misleading health-related information.
The health department should work in tandem with the other departments to stop people from opting for home births.
Additional Chief Secretary (Health), National Health Mission State director, director of health services and senior health officials were present at the meeting.
Published – April 08, 2025 06:12 pm IST
