Cradle Point opened in Charangpat
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, August 31 2022:
Social Welfare director Ngangom Uttam on Monday inaugurated a Model Cradle Point under the Mission Vatsalya Scheme of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, at Government Children Home for Boys, Charangpat.
As part of the initiative taken up by the Social Welfare Department, parents/guardians instead of dumping newborn babies at isolated places can drop off the infant at the designated cradle points set up in front of children homes, without revealing their identifies.
The newborn babies dropped off at the cradle points will then be taken care of till 6 years of age by a specialised adoption agency.
The agency has been licensed by the state government as a child care institution under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection Children) Act, 2015, a release by the Social Welfare Department, informed.
The release further conveyed that as of now, there are 41 cradle points in the state, present at JNIMS, Tamenglong district hospital, Community Health Centre Noney and at children's homes.
Cradles points will also be set up at other hospitals and maternity clinics within the next few months, to prevent dumping of babies in unsafe and desolated places.
Over the last few years, there have been reports of newborn babies dumped at traffic points, waiting sheds, crematoriums, river banks, toilet and cemeteries, being saved by specialised adoption agencies.
The babies were provided with immediate medical treatment and allowed to be fostered/adopted by suitable families after completion of all necessary legal formalities.
The babies, who have now grown up, are living well with their respective adoptive families, surrounded with all the love and care they deserved.
Thus, anyone intending to dump a newborn baby should leave the infant at one of the cradle points.
If anyone finds an abandoned baby, they should contact Childline (1098) immediately and help save the baby, the release further stated.