Author: Ketaki Saksena
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: July 5, 2009
URL: http://www.dailypioneer.com/187006/Now-Kerala-church-to-help-family-'unplanning'.html
Worried by the dwindling numbers of its flock,
the Catholic Church in Kerala is planning a host of schemes to promote larger
families among the financially sound. Among the promotional measures would
be providing educational incentives for fourth child in the family.
The Christian community has seen a decline
in numbers because of smaller families over the last two generations in Independent
India. "By and large, our rate of growth is the lowest amongst religious
communities in the country," the Secretary General, All India Christian
Council and Ex President of the All India Catholic Union, John Dayal told
The Pioneer.
Catholic communities historically were large,
with six to ten members till a generation ago. The figure has now come down
to not more than one or two children per family. The Christian population
has dropped rapidly in Kerala, Mumbai and other cities. The 2001 census shows
decline of 0.32% in Christian population of the State.
Recently the church had talked of a set of
medical schemes to ensure that financially sound families beget more than
two children. Therefore, hospitals run by the church began offering cost effective
health packages for more children.
The irony is that efforts are being made to
enhance population control in a state (Kerala) that is being held as an example
in effective population control. The rate of population growth has been among
the lowest in the country. High literacy rate, an efficient public health
system and timely pre-natal care are some of the reasons for the development
in the state. The state has to its credit the achievement of wiping out child
mortality by strengthening the public health system.
However, in recent years the State also witnessed
a host of problems. The third National Family Health Survey (NFHS) in 2005-06
indicates chronic and acute under-nutrition among children below five years
of age. The survey also mentions that even during the first six months of
life when most babies are breast-fed, 14 to 16 per cent of infants are stunted
or underweight and 24 per cent are wasted. Anaemia continues to be a major
health problem in Kerala, with one-third of the women being anaemic, according
to NFHS III. The percentage of anaemic women in the state has gone up by 10%
from the last survey done in 1998-99.
The money spent on good quality nutrition
is low in the State. While the Government expenditure on nutrition per child
is Rs 167 in Tamil Nadu, Kerala spends just Rs 72.
Social problems add to the woes. There is
rampant alcoholism in the State. Forty-five per cent of men drink, out of
which 39 per cent consume alcohol at least once a week. Alcoholism has been
blamed for increased domestic violence, rise in suicide rates, rapidly escalating
fatal traffic crashes, loss of productivity due to illness, more premature
deaths and rising crime incidence. Almost one-sixth of ever-married women
in Kerala have experienced physical or sexual spousal violence. All of this
has added to the worry of the Church.
