Karimnagar: The “Ooyala” initiative, launched by the Karimnagar district administration under collector Pamela Satpathy, is already showing encouraging results. The programme provides a safe alternative for newborns who might otherwise be abandoned in thorny bushes, rubbish bins, canals, or on the streets.
Beautifully decorated cradles have been installed at designated points with a clear notice: “If you do not wish to care for your newborn, place the child in this cradle. The Department of Women Development and Child Welfare will assume custody. There are no surveillance cameras, and we will not collect any personal information. Your child will receive government care and may be placed for adoption according to official guidelines. If you need assistance, contact us on WhatsApp at 94908 81098. Please do not endanger your child’s life, entrust them to us instead.”
The programme began in May 2025 at the Mother and Child Healthcare Centre in Karimnagar city and has since expanded to government hospitals in Choppadandi, Jammikunta, and Huzurabad.
Since its launch, two children have been received at the Ooyala centre in Karimnagar’s MCJ Hospital. On June 18, a three year old girl with a disability was left in the cradle; on June 28, an unidentified person placed a 15 month old boy there. Hospital superintendent Dr G. Veera Reddy, RMP Dr Naveena, and their medical team examined the children before transferring them to Shishu Vihar for continued care.
Collector Pamela Satpathy told Deccan Chronicle that the scheme, implemented on state government instructions, is revitalising abandoned children’s lives. “At first many people were unaware of Ooyala, so we promoted it widely,” she said. “If anyone finds an abandoned infant, or if parents feel unable to raise their child, they can safely bring the child to an Ooyala centre. Doctors perform medical checks, and Shishu Vihar provides long term care.”
The administration hopes the initiative will eliminate unsafe abandonment while offering vulnerable children a secure future.