The Registrar-General of India (RGI) has warned hospitals that they must report births and deaths within 21 days, as many hospitals are not following this rule.
Some hospitals delay reporting, waiting for relatives to request it or directing them to report it themselves.
While 90% of births and deaths are being registered, the goal of 100% registration has not yet been reached due to non-reporting by some hospitals.
The RGI reminded hospitals that negligence in registering births and deaths is punishable by a fine under the Registration of Birth and Death (RBD) Act.
The RGI’s office found that some private hospitals do not report events, and some advise relatives to report directly to registrars.
Hospitals are required to issue birth and death certificates within seven days, and from October 2023, digital birth certificates will be used for various official purposes.
The RGI emphasized the need for registrars to make the registration process more user-friendly and timely, as delays cause inconvenience to the public.
Vital statistics reports, based on civil registration, have not been released since 2020.
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