Congress MP Urges Health Minister JP Nadda To Establish National Birth Defects Registry
The Congress MP Mohammad Jawed said that establishing a National Birth Anomalies Registry would help identify preventable risk factors and strengthen early screening.
Published : March 20, 2026 at 5:15 PM IST
New Delhi: Lok Sabha MP Dr Mohammad Jawed has urged the Centre to establish a national registry to track birth anomalies among children and strengthen care for the affected.
In a letter to Union Health Minister JP Nadda, Jawed highlighted that India contributes to 16 per cent of global deaths linked to birth defects, as nearly six lakh babies are born with congenital anomalies in the country every year.
“Congenital conditions are emerging as a significant cause of infant and child deaths. There is an urgent need for coordinated surveillance and structured care. But there is no comprehensive national registry to systematically track such cases, assess outcomes, or generate reliable nationwide data,” Jawed said in the letter and called for coordinated surveillance and structured care to address the growing public health challenge.
My elder son was born with a congenital heart disease. I have seen firsthand the fear, uncertainty and gaps in care that families go through.
— Dr Md Jawaid (@DrMdJawaid1) March 20, 2026
I wrote to @MoHFW_INDIA @JPNadda ji regarding the creation of a National Birth Anomalies Registry.
Nearly 6 lakh babies in India are… pic.twitter.com/X6JJsNQ8IQ
Jawed, who represents Kishanganj in Bihar, said that establishing a National Birth Anomalies Registry would help identify preventable risk factors, strengthen early screening and improve referral pathways. “It would guide evidence-based health planning, particularly in rural and underserved regions,” he added.
Separately, in an X post, Jawed said that he had experienced first hand "the fear, uncertainty and gaps in care that families go through" as his elder son was born with a congenital heart disease.
The Congress MP further underlined the need to integrate screening and multidisciplinary management of conditions such as congenital heart disease, cleft lip and palate, spina bifida, Down syndrome and sensory impairments into routine maternal and newborn health services.
“A time-bound roadmap with dedicated resources and trained manpower is crucial to effectively tackle this issue,” he said.
Jawed urged immediate action and asked the Health Ministry to consider establishing a national registry to better track cases, assess outcomes and address the burden of birth defects in the country.
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