Fri Apr 11 22:53:00 UTC 2025: ## Child Marriages Revealed in Andhra Pradesh Hospital Inspection
**Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh –** A recent inspection of the Old Government General Hospital (GGH) in Vijayawada by the Andhra Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (APSCPCR) has uncovered a disturbing trend of child marriage in the state. The commission found several underage mothers among new patients at the hospital.
According to APSCPCR Chairman Kesali Appa Rao, some of the young mothers admitted to having married as young as 15 and having multiple children before the age of 18. The commission members interacted with mothers and their families, confirming the prevalence of underage marriages. Low birth weights in some infants were attributed to the mothers’ young age and anemia.
The APSCPCR team, including members T. Adi Lakshmi, G. Seetha Ram, and J. Rajendra Prasad, noted that the hospital’s paediatricians also observed several minor mothers delivering babies. The commission members stressed the need for concerted action from various departments, including Anganwadi and ASHA workers, teachers, and the police, to prevent child marriages.
The APSCPCR has instructed the hospital to submit detailed records of admissions, patient ages, and Cesarean procedures, along with information on the implementation of the Janani Suraksha Scheme. This data will help further assess the scope of the problem and inform future prevention efforts. The discovery has highlighted the urgent need to address the issue of child marriage in Andhra Pradesh.
First Piper 