JAC : A Journal Of Composition Theory ISSN : 0731-6755 CHILD HEALTH CARE STATUS IN SALEM DISTRICT OF TAMIL NADU - A CASE STUDY D.PARAMESWARAN, Ph.D. Research Scholar PG & Research Department of Economics Government Arts College (Autonomous) Salem – 636 007, Tamil Nadu Abstract India is home to the largest child population in the world. Being healthy is a valuable achievement in itself. Healthy persons are capable of utilizing economic opportunities available in the society in a better way than others. Motherhood is the supreme fulfillment in women’s life. Many women die in the process of child birth in many countries of the world, especially in developing countries. Children suffer most when mother dies, as children whose mother died, are three times more likely to receive less health care and also more likely to die. The event of maternal death is a concern to the family, children, community, state and nation as it affects the national productivity. A structured interview schedule was used to elicit information and data from the selected respondents. By conducting personal interviews and discussion with the mothers of the child data were obtained. Key words: Women health, child care, health care, maternal death, women empowerment, etc. 1. Introduction India is home to the largest child population in the world. The Constitution of India guarantees fundamental rights to all children in the country and empowers the State to make special provisions for children. The Directive Principles of State Policy specifically guide the State in securing the tender age of children from abuse and ensuring that children are given opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner in conditions of freedom and dignity. The State is responsible for ensuring that childhood is protected from exploitation and moral and material abandonment. 2. Concept of heath The word health is derived from the old English word ‘Hal’ meaning hale, whole healed, sound in mind, and limb. There is no such single concept of health, which is acceptable to all. According to Webster’s New Dictionary health is ‘the Volume XIII Issue I JANUARY 2020 Page No: 93 JAC : A Journal Of Composition Theory ISSN : 0731-6755 condition of being sound in body, mind or spirit especially freedom from physical disease and pain’. Optimum health is the highest stage of sound health and everyone should be endeavoring to attain this level. Being healthy is a valuable achievement in itself. Healthy persons are capable of utilizing economic opportunities available in the society in a better way than others. Hence, at the international level, the Universal Declaration of Human Right established a breakthrough in 1948, by stating in Article 25, ‘Every one has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family.’ 3. Maternal and child health: Global scenario Complications of pregnancy and child birth are the leading cause of death and disability among women of reproductive age in developing countries. The millennium development goals call for reducing the maternal mortality rates by 75 per cent between 1990 and 2015, but few countries and no developing country region on average will achieve this target. They die because they are poor, malnourished and weakened by disease and lack of accessibility to trained health worker and modern medical facilities. In poor countries the life time risk of maternal death may be more than 200 times greater than for women in Western Europe and North America (World Bank, 2012). Table 1 Health Indicators among Selected Countries in 2018 Maternal Infant Mortality Life Expectancy Mortality Rate Total Fertility Country Rate (IMR/1 000 M/F (in years) (MMR/1000 Rate (TFR) Live- Births) Live- Births) India 58 63.9/66.9 301 2.9 China 32 70.6/74.2 56 1.72 Japan 3 78.9/86.1 10 1.35 Republic of 3 74.2/81.5 20 1.19 Korea Indonesia 36 66.2/69.9 230 2.25 Malaysia 9 71.6/76.2 41 2.71 Volume XIII Issue I JANUARY 2020 Page No: 94 JAC : A Journal Of Composition Theory ISSN : 0731-6755 Vietnam 27 69.5/73.5 130 2.19 Bangladesh 52 63.3/65.1 380 3.04 Nepal 58 62.4/63.4 740 3.40 Pakisthan 73 64/64.3 500 3.87 Srilanka 15 72.2/77.5 92 1.89 4. Maternal and child health status: Indian scenario India’s health indicators are almost at the same level as the average of low income economies. India compares unfavorably even with low income countries in terms of availability of health infrastructure and its utilization, as well as the overall disease burden. From among the 10.8 million under five (infant and child) death per year in the world, 2.4 million (22.2 per cent) are in India (Black, Morris and Bryce 2003). Death of children below age 5 is associated with socio- economic characteristics and it is higher in rural areas as against urban areas. Poor self-assessed health tends to be concentrated among women who are poor and belong to deprived ethnic or racial groups. 5. Review of literature Kateja (2001) reported that Rajasthan does not perform fairly well on the human development front. Concentrating on the health and education will not only lower infant mortality rate but also improve the overall social development in the State. Hence, supporting public services such as primary health care and basic education must be the top most priority of the state government. Goel (2005) highlights the importance of family planning as an instrument for the promotion of health. He states that the family planning and health are intimately related. Family planning can promote women’s health through the prevention of unwanted pregnancies, limiting number of births and proper spacing, timing of births and foetal health. It also promotes the health of the child through the reduction of child mortality and promotion of the child development. Seema and Khairunnisa Begum (2008) studied child rearing practices among the tribals in villages of Nanjungud Taluk in Karnataka State. The study Volume XIII Issue I JANUARY 2020 Page No: 95 JAC : A Journal Of Composition Theory ISSN : 0731-6755 reveals that allopathic and herbal medication was in common use among these tribals. The tribals are experiencing radical change in their views and practices. Although they continue to live in secluded areas, urbanization has made an impact on their practices and livelihood, which also includes child rearing practices. Rejumoni Sarma (2010) examined the cultural practices and their effect on reproductive health condition of the two Tiwa villages of Morigaon district, Assam. It is observed that the food habit, income, individual hygiene, methods of sanitation, traditional way of delivery, poor communication system and their cultural belief play a key role in their reproductive health status. Srinivasan and Dhandapani (2012) pointed out women’s health in India and key challenges in health sector. According to them, biological and social factor affect women’s health. Women’s health is also affected by fertility, education, utilization of health care services, cultural factors and working status of women. Infant and maternal mortality are decreasing, but slowly. The study also states that developing countries are faced with an unfinished health agenda of problems like malnutrition, increasing prevalence of chronic and cardiovascular diseases resulting from an ageing population. 6. Statement of the problem Motherhood is the supreme fulfillment in women’s life. Many women die in the process of child birth in many countries of the world, especially in developing countries. Children suffer most when mother dies, as children whose mother died, are three times more likely to receive less health care and also more likely to die. The event of maternal death is a concern to the family, children, community, state and nation as it affects the national productivity. Children, the asset of the nation, are highly influenced by the health of their mothers. 7. Objectives of the study This study is carried out on the basis of the following objectives, Volume XIII Issue I JANUARY 2020 Page No: 96 JAC : A Journal Of Composition Theory ISSN : 0731-6755 1. To examine the perception about maternal and child health care services among inhabitants of the study area. 2. To bring out the health status of the children in the selected blocks of Salem district. 3. To identify the causes for child health ailments in the study area. 8. Selection of the study area The present study is focusing on Salem district in the state of Tamil Nadu. Based on the data collected from the Census of India 2011, District Hand Book, Salem the total population of Salem district is 34,82,056 out of which male is 17,81,571 and female is 17,00,485. The district is divided into 20 blocks for the administrative purpose. Out of which 4 blocks are selected for the study. Salem and Omalur blocks stands highest in terms of female population with 3,80,866 and 86,671 respectively. On the contrary, Konganapuram and Yercaud blocks with least female population in the district with 30,485 and 19,245 respectively. 9. Methodology The study is based on both secondary and primary data collected from the selected members of the selected blocks in the Salem district. The field survey has been designed in such a way that it is objective and unbiased. After selecting the four blocks in terms of female population their total numbers of households have been taken in to account. The total numbers of households of the selected four blocks are: Salem (21,851), Omalur (48,894), Konganapuram (18,529), and Yercaud (10,772).