Parents asked not to produce unhealthy baby in Andhra
Uma Sudhir
Wednesday, January 07, 2009, (Hyderabad)
In what could spark off a controversial debate, Andhra Pradesh's Human Rights Commission chairperson has said that it is time for a legislation to prosecute parents for knowingly giving birth to an unhealthy child.
Andhra Pradesh State Human Rights Commission chairperson B Subhashan Reddy has said that every child has the right to be born healthy and if it is a known health risk, parents have to take responsibility to prevent it.
"If either or both parents are HIV positive, or have communicable diseases like TB or leprosy or genes related to Down's Syndrome, dyslexia, they should not produce a child. Even muscular dystrophy, why should they produce an unhealthy child?" Asked Justice Reddy.
However, educationist Gita Karan whose school admits differently-abled children as well differs. She says, to create an inclusive society neither the government nor any law can decide if a child should be born or not.
"The decision should be entirely parents' decision. If they feel and know that they are going to have a child with a defect, I think they should be allowed to take that decision because they know the implications," said Gita Karan, Director, Geetanjali Group of Institutions.
Supporters of the right to life say this is like practicing eugenics, trying to play god and decide what trait is desirable and what is not.
"You are denying the child the right to come into the world. So what if the child is not perfect? He might have other abilities. Just because he is not able to do something. He can do something else," said Madhvi Chandra, Right to Life Supporter.
Doctors say the way forward would be to make medical facilities available so that there can be better screening and surveillance, so preventable diseases can be minimized, instead of throwing the baby out with the bathwater, quite literally.