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Smitha Nair, CNN-IBN: A unique initiative has been undertaken by a Pune
Doctor. Following the Beed female infanticide cases, Dr Ganesh Rakh of Pune's
Medicare multispeciality hospital has stopped charging any fees to deliver a
girl child. The birth of a girl child is celebrated in the hospital by
distributing sweets and by treating the mother and child for free. Till date,
the hospital has given free treatment to 135 women and their newborn girls.
The hospital waives off the doctor's fees and cost of treatment at the birth
of a baby girl. Dr Ganesh Rakh, who runs the 24 bed multispeciality says he was
disturbed by the almost mournful response of relatives at the birth of a girl
child. "The toughest job in a hospital is to convey the news of the death of a
patient to their relatives. I found that to convey the news of the birth of a
girl child was just as tough," Dr Rakh said.
Maharashtra has a high incidence rate of female foeticide and a dismal sex
ratio. The arrest of the doctor couple in Beed blew the lid on the impunity with
which doctors aided large scale female foeticide.
"I will continue this till cases of foeticide are reported from India," Dr
Rakh said. In the process, Dr Rakh hopes to affect a change in mindsets, one
girl child at a time.
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