Nearly six lakh infants are born with congenital anomalies in India every year, yet the country still does not have a national registry to systematically record and monitor these cases.
As deaths from infectious diseases decline, congenital disorders are emerging as a more significant contributor to child mortality. India accounts for around 16 per cent of global deaths associated with birth defects, according to recent estimates, underscoring the growing public health challenge.
On Monday, Smile Train India and the Birth Defects Research Foundation jointly launched the Birth Anomalies Network of India (BIND) at the India Habitat Centre. The platform aims to strengthen prevention efforts, promote early diagnosis and ensure structured, long-term care for affected children.
A key focus of the initiative is the creation of a proposed National Birth Anomalies Registry. Such a registry would help generate reliable nationwide data, identify avoidable risk factors, and support evidence-based health planning. Experts noted that current surveillance systems remain fragmented, screening coverage varies widely and referral mechanisms are particularly weak in non-metro regions.
Conditions such as congenital heart disease, cleft lip and palate, spina bifida, clubfoot, Down syndrome, and sensory impairments contribute substantially to the overall burden. While many of these conditions are treatable if detected early, integrated, multidisciplinary care is still not routinely available within standard newborn health services.
Mamta Carroll, Vice President and Regional Director (Asia) at Smile Train, said birth anomalies continue to receive limited attention in public discussions. Dr Anita Kar of the Birth Defects Research Foundation cautioned that in the absence of systematic registries, policy measures are likely to remain fragmented and reactive rather than comprehensive.
