New Delhi, March 02, 2026: Smile Train India and the Birth Defects Research Foundation have launched the Birth Anomalies Network of India (BIND), a national multi-stakeholder platform aimed at strengthening prevention, early detection, treatment and long-term care systems for children born with birth anomalies.
In India, an estimated 600,000 newborns are affected by birth anomalies each year. As deaths from infectious causes decline, congenital anomalies are accounting for a growing share of child mortality, while also contributing to long-term disabilities and financial and emotional stress for families.
BIND seeks to bring together stakeholders from government, healthcare, research institutions and civil society to address gaps in surveillance, data systems, awareness and access to care. The platform aims to promote preventive measures, encourage anomaly scans and newborn screening, improve timely access to quality treatment and support evidence-informed policymaking.
A key component of the initiative is the proposed National Birth Anomalies Registry, designed to generate reliable data on prevalence, identify preventable risk factors and support equitable allocation of resources.
Mamta Carroll, Vice President and Regional Director, Asia, Smile Train, said, “Birth anomalies have remained under-recognized in public discourse for far too long. BIND aims to create a unified platform that brings together clinicians, researchers, caregivers, policymakers and civil society around a shared national purpose. BIND is launched with an ambitious vision to a more enabling and inclusive environment where every child born with a birth anomaly has timely access to timely information, quality treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term support, and every family is empowered with the care and dignity they deserve.”
Dr. Anita Kar, Director, Birth Defects Research Foundation, Pune, added, “India lacks robust nationwide data on the true burden, causes, and long-term outcomes of birth anomalies. Without strong surveillance and registry systems, policies remain fragmented and reactive. Children with congenital conditions require integrated, multidisciplinary care, from early diagnosis to safe and sustained comprehensive care supported by sustained public investment and evidence-based planning.”
The initiative was launched on March 2, 2026, at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. The event brought together healthcare leaders, researchers, civil society organisations and affected families. A whitepaper outlining a roadmap for a proposed National Birth Anomalies Task Force and related policy recommendations was also released.
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