Kolkata, September 10 (Daily Kiran) : The West Bengal health department is preparing a standard operating procedure (SOP) to address cases of pregnancies among girls under 18, including those who are married. This initiative follows Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s announcement that husbands of girls who become mothers before turning 18 will be prosecuted under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, with the state government taking action on its own.
An official from the health department revealed that a nine-member expert committee has already been formed to develop this SOP. The committee includes Debashish Das, head of the Community Medicine Department at Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, along with five obstetricians and gynecologists from various medical facilities, including Sanjay Bhattacharya from Uluberia Medical College and Hospital and Sourav Chatterjee from NRS Medical College and Hospital.
Representatives from the health department, including Shyamali Rudra, Deputy Director of Maternal Health, and Shashwati Nag, Family Planning Officer, are also part of this committee. The committee’s first meeting is scheduled for September 18.
Health Minister Dr. Sardarwat Mukhopadhyay highlighted the alarming rate of pregnancies among girls under 18 in West Bengal. He emphasized the high risk of complications during pregnancy for minors, which can lead to fatalities. Therefore, establishing an SOP is crucial for managing such cases effectively.
The proposed SOP will cover several key areas, including identifying risks to the mother, ensuring regular antenatal check-ups, addressing anemia and malnutrition, referring cases to larger medical centers when necessary, and monitoring both the mother and child post-delivery.
The health official stated that the new SOP will mandate that once a pregnancy is confirmed, the adolescent girl should be referred to a gynecologist and obstetrician for prenatal care immediately.
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