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Smile Train India and the Birth Defects Research Foundation announced the launch of BIND – Birth Anomalies Network of India, a first-of-its-kind national forum aimed at closing critical gaps in prevention, early detection, treatment, and long-term care for children born with birth anomalies.

In India, birth anomalies affect an estimated 600,000 newborns annually and contribute significantly to infant mortality, lifelong disabilities, and financial and emotional strain on families. As deaths from infectious causes decline in India, congenital anomalies account for a growing proportion of child mortality but often receive insufficient attention.

BIND seeks to align stakeholders across government, healthcare, research institutions, and civil society to strengthen surveillance and data systems, promote preventive measures, expand awareness of anomaly scans and newborn screening, improve timely access to quality treatment, and drive evidence-informed policymaking in a coordinated way. At the core of the initiative is the proposed National Birth Anomalies Registry, which aims to generate authentic data, identify preventable risk factors, and guide equitable resource allocation.

Speaking at the launch, Mamta Carroll, Vice President and Regional Director, Asia, Smile Train, said, “Birth anomalies have remained under-recognised 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 create 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, highlighted the research gap, stating, “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 launch of this initiative on March 2, 2026, at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, was attended by healthcare leaders, researchers, civil society organisations, affected individuals and families to advance a coordinated national agenda. A whitepaper outlining the roadmap for a proposed National Birth Anomalies Task Force and recommendations was released at the event.

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