No one can deny the fact that good people always win the hearts and minds of the people. Dr Ganesh Rakh falls in the same bracket. He is a potential doctor by trait and to come to his stature, he sweated it out day in day out. The down-to-earth person with social intelligence loves to make the society a better place, come what may.
When the detailed reports of 2011 census came to light, Ganesh Rakh understood the seriousness of the situation. According to United Nations report, Indian girl child aged 1-5 years was 75% more likely to die than an Indian boy child. Digging a bit deep, the doctor came to know that there were just 914 girls for every 1000 boys under the age of 7.
Known as Obstetrician and Gynecologist, Dr Ganesh Rakh realised that people were only pumped up to see the birth of a boy but when a girl is born, they think of the poor little soul as a burden to them. Knowing this, our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has initiated a campaign ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana’, (Save the Girl Child Campaign) – an initiative to save and empower the girl child.
Following the initiative, a lot of celebrities featuring Bollywood actors and Sports Personalities have teamed up to promote this good cause through campaigns against female foeticide, which is deemed to be the biggest issue in India.
Rakh runs Medicare Hospital Foundation Trust hospital in Pune’s Hadapsar area in 2007. He is believed to be a well-known person in the city. Dr. Ganesh Rakh also initiated his own principle in 2012 in his hospital. Till date, it has received a positive feedbacks as when a girl child is born in the hospital, he does not charge and that’s his principle.
Yes, you heard it right! He does not charge a single penny on girl child’s birth and also bears all the expenses on his own. So far in the last 4 years, 464 girls have been born in this hospital. The hospital staff comes with cakes and flowers whenever a precious little angel is born, which is the best thing you’ll ever see.
Ganesh Rakh said that this is just a beginning and said that more than 5000 doctors in India are following his footprints. Rakh reportedly said, “People ask for the discount when a baby girl is born and when in case of a boy the family pays bills and charges happily”.
The experienced professional also went on to add saying that he will start charging when people value girl’s birth as much as the boy’s birth. “I want to change attitudes – of people, doctors. The day people start celebrating a daughter’s birth, I’ll start charging my fee again. Otherwise, how will I run my hospital?”