Udupi: Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) flagged serious lapses in newborn record-keeping at the Koosamma Shambhu Shetty Haji Abdulla Mother and Child Hospital, with its chairperson directing action against medical officers who failed to maintain case sheets as per govt rules.Chairperson Shashidhar S Kosambe, who visited the hospital recently, inspected the special newborn care unit and the maternal care centre. During the inspection, he examined files maintained at the hospital and instructed staff to maintain registers strictly in accordance with govt guidelines.On finding that case sheets of newborns undergoing treatment did not mention the names of the children or their parents, he directed doctors to ensure that records were maintained as per rules. He also instructed the district surgeon to initiate action against medical officers who failed to maintain the records.During his visit to the maternal care unit and breastfeeding area, Kosambe observed that the facilities were not scientifically maintained and instructed medical officers to provide basic infrastructure. He also said that mothers should be given health education.Expressing displeasure over the absence of a nutritional rehabilitation centre (NRC) at the district headquarters, he instructed local medical officers to open an NRC at the district headquarters immediately. He also held a telephonic discussion with the deputy director of the NRC.Kosambe later visited the scanning centre at Adarsha Hospital, where he inspected the maintenance of files and registers in the prescribed format, installation of signboards and other basic facilities. He directed staff to maintain files of pregnant women on the govt portal, the Balika software.He later visited Brahmavar police station, Handadi gram panchayat office, local schools and anganwadi centres. During the inspections, he said that the child helpline number must be mandatorily displayed in all offices. He also directed that children’s gram sabha meetings, child protection committee meetings and education task force meetings should be held regularly in gram panchayats.Member of the commission Dr Thippeswamy KT, district health and family welfare officer Dr Basavaraj Hubballi, district surgeon Dr Ashok and others were present..
