When inhuman instinct comes to its worst, it stoops too low that even the nastiest form of human nature feels ashamed. In the most progressive country of the world, the humans parade their most horrendous traits that are simply unthinkable. In some parts of China, people are baby eaters. The book titled ‘The Seven Sorrows of China’ written by Mark Miravalle reveals that fetal soup is being served in many restaurants of China at a high price. An article posted by Citizen of the Earth titled ‘Shocking News: Fetus soup being served in China’, divulges that in many restaurants of Canton (town) ‘Spare Rib Soup’, local code for fetal soup, is being served for increasing stamina and vigor. It also mentions that the fetuses served are usually of female babies.
In China, it is an established custom. Eating up babies is not scandalous for them. However, in Kashmir, killing of infant babies has come up as a shameful shock. More than 500 infant deaths in just five months! We are witnessing a ghastly transition of killings from foeticide to infanticide.  It seems that either this kind of a situation has been a routine affair since very long that had remained unreported in the only tertiary child-care facility or else this spree of deaths has flashed up recently.  Whatever the case, it is terribly pathetic, unusual and alarming. It actually puts a big question mark on the tall claims of government to decrease the IMR (Infant Mortality Rate) in the State.
Interestingly, this tertiary health facility happens to be educational institution for the student medicos during their pediatric rotation and for pediatric PG students as well. As per the medical education protocol, meetings are to be held at the weekends in hospitals affiliated with medical education. These weekly meetings are aimed to discuss various issues like mortalities during the week, case report of rare cases, causes of deaths, emergence of new challenges, future plans for improving health care delivery system, and identifying of the unusual happenings for quick redressal. Besides meetings, hospitals have to report their work-done and mortality figures on weekly and monthly basis to the authorities at the helm of affairs. This should have been imperative especially for the children’s hospital as government has been claiming that reduction in infant mortality is their main focus.
The enigmatic question remains as to where the ‘negligence’ truly occurred? If weekly meetings were conducted and infant deaths used to be reflected to higher authorities, then the apathy of government towards the plight of suffering voiceless babies has been criminal. And if higher-ups were kept in dark by the hospital administration, then it is simply unpardonable offence. At the same time, it poses a grave concern over the level of education being imparted to the future doctors and pediatricians.
Of course, just reporting infant deaths is not enough. Rather, it was a moral and official obligation of the hospital administration to persuade higher-ups for redressal of their severe functioning problems. Additionally, the proper and planned use of manpower and available resources could have certainly contributed in the decrease of these unabated deaths.
It seems very unlikely to buy this argument that ‘government was absolutely unaware of these deaths’. The exclusive expose by Greater Kashmir has uncovered the gross indifference of the government compounded by the casual approach of the hospital administration.
We are in a terrible trauma. Dogs have become more significant than our infants. For any sensible society, infant mortality is one of the main indicators of development. Instead of spending hugely on expensive dog pounds, don’t we deserve to save the crying and ailing babies of this nation? We can’t allow them to die so cheap, so cruel.
And then, it is not only the question of 500 wasted buds that left this world without even knowing the one who gave birth to them. It is the plight of 500 associated families who lose their dreams, unmarked and unnamed. It also torments the bereaved mothers who go into depression and are prone for post-delivery stress disorders. It leads to further stressful pregnancies and even reluctance in conceiving again.
All this cannot be brushed aside so casually. We have to make people answerable. Else we have no right to be recognized as human.
(The columnist teaches at Media education Research Centre, University of Kashmir)

Lastupdate on : Sat, 19 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 19 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 20 May 2012 00:00:00 IST