BIRTH AND DEATH REGISTRATION : OVERVIEW

INTRODUCTION :
Although the registration of birth and death is a statutory activity in India, its implementation is unsatisfactory. As per the estimates of Registrar General India prevalence of birth registration in the country is 51%. This means that about half of the 25 millions babies born in India every year go unregistered. In several large cities registration of birth is as low as 35 %. Therefore concern regarding the number of unregistered birth & death in India has rown.

IMPORTANCE OF BIRTH REGISTRATION :
Birth registration is the first step in establishing the identity of the child and birth certificate is the first legal document available to a child. Birth certificate is important for admission in school, for vaccination, for adoption, for age or nationality, for marriage or divorce, for passport, to own land, to open bank account, to receive social security and to vote. Proper birth registration system helps the Govt. to know the number of its citizen, helps in
planning their needs & development and to plan the immunization program.

IMPORTANCE OF DEATH REGISTRATION :
Death certificate is necessary for the fallowing purposes –
1. To get insurance, property and bank claims for individual.
2. For disease control, accident prevention.
3. For use in research – demographic and medical.
4. For use in public administration.
5. For use in vital statistics.

INFRASTRUCTURE FOR BIRTH & DEATH REGISTRATION IN INDIA :
The registration of birth & death (RBD) Act, 1969 provides for statutory authority at the center and in each state. The act has enabled the central govt. to promote uniformity and compatibility in registration and compilation of vital statistics. It allows the state govt. to develop an efficient system of registration. RBD act, provides for the appointment of functionaries for birth & death registration at national, state, district and local level.

At the central level, Registrar General is the central authority for registration of birth & death in the country. The Registrar General is appointed by Central Govt., who coordinates and unifies the civic registration activities in states & UT and provides general directives and guidelines for working of the act.
Chief Registrar of birth & death heads the civil registration in state & UT. He is responsible for organization & operational aspects of implementation of RBD act. in state & UT.

At the district level, the state govt. appoints a District Registrar of birth & death. In urban areas, municipal authority i.e. Commissioner or Head of health dept. serve as Registrar of birth & death. Sub-registrars are appointed by the Registrar with the approval of Chief Registrar of state and will function under supervision of the Registrar. In large cities function of a Registrar is more of manager of the system. For each corporation/municipality, etc., there is one Registrar of birth & death. In the rural area panchayat secretary (Gram Sevak) is registrar of birth & death.

PROCEDURE FOR BIRTH & DEATH REPORTING & REGISTRATION :
Many institution are not aware of the fact that they are responsible for reporting and therefore do not report directly to the registration centers. Registration of birth and death is compulsory. They are to be reported for registration in the prescribed form within 21 days.
Birth & death occurring in hospitals, Nursing Homes and other medical/non-medical institutions like jail, boarding house, hostel, train, road, plane have to be reported by the incharge of the institution. Birth & death occurring in the house are to be reported by the head of the household. A birth & death certificate is issued free of charge for the events reported within time i.e. within 21 days of the event. Birth can be registered without the name of the child, which can be entered later up to 15 years. Birth & death are registered only at the place of occurrence. RBD act provide for a system of notifier of the event of birth & death.

Multipurpose workers, anganwadi workers and other workers can be designated as notifier where the families are not interested in informing birth & death event. RBD act provide for penal provisions selectively against defaulting institutions and also the registration functionaries for non-compliance of the Act.

PROCEDURE FOR LATE/DELAYED REGISTRATION :
For information of birth & death received after 21 days of occurrence but within a period of 30 days, the event is registered on payment delayed fee of Rs 02=00 (two) only.
For information of birth & death received after 30 days of occurrence but within one year, the event is registered on payment of delayed fee of Rs. 05=00 (five) and on production of written permission of Head of Health Department of Municipality/Corporation for urban area and Block Development Officer for rural area.
For information of birth & death received after one year of occurrence, the event is registered on payment of delayed fee of Rs. 10=00 (ten) and on production of orders of Executive Magistrate.

PUBLISITY MEASURES FOR BOOSTING REGISTRATION & REPORTING :
Information Education and Communication package in awareness activities should stress not only on the importance of registration but also on, how and where to register birth and death. This can be done by linking birth and death registration campaign with immunization and other related campaign; by Incorporating birth & death registration module in training & orientation of Dai, Anganwadi & health workers, school teachers, SHG and NGOs and by Involving youth, adolescents and women groups in the awareness campaign Visibility of the registrar’s office is of utmost importance and should have signboard & timings of the registration. It is also necessary to have details about the provisions of the Act prominently displayed. There are several areas where public, Registrars have doubt about the correct procedures, and therefore brochure containing frequently asked questions might be made available to public.

Children’s Day (November 14) function may be used effectively for publicity on birth registration. Martyr’s day (January 30) may be used for publicity on death registration.
Possibility of making this an annual feature may be considered. Collaboration and support of Drug manufacturers, Baby food manufacturers, Life insurance companies, Toy manufacturers, Greeting card industry, Chocolate and Confectionary industry may be taken for organization of the function as above.

At state and Corporation level various departments like Health & Family Welfare, Women & Child, Information & Publicity, Transport, Urban Development, Estate and local govt. departments should be involved/integrated in the publicity measures. Special drives at least once a year may be conducted to register birth & death whose birth & death have not been reported, a system of amnesty to allow the births to be reported without late fee or affidavit. At city level the measures like Hoardings & Wall Paintings, Distribution of Pamphlets, Massages on public transport vehicles, Electronic signboards, Cinema slides, Cable, TV, Stickers, Newspaper advertisements & articles and other innovative ideas should be undertaken to create awareness about the registration and reporting of birth & death events.