Location: Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

Map references: Asia

Area: Total: 65,610 sq km Land: 62,705 sq km Water: 2,905 sq km

Mid.Year Population - 2010Total : 20,653,000Male : 10,249,000Female : 10,404,000

Life expectancy - 2006Male : 71.7 years

Female : 76.4 years

Literacy (Age15 – 24 Yrs.)-2007 Total : 97.5% Male : 96.9% Female : 98.1%

The The Country…Country…

DEPARTMENT OF DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRAR GENERALREGISTRAR GENERAL

MINISTRY OF PUBLIC MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND HOME ADMINISTRATION AND HOME

AFFAIRSAFFAIRS

www.rgd.gov.lkESA/STAT/AC.219/11

Our Mission

"Our mission is the Registration of Legal documents pertaining to Movable and Immovable

Properties in Sri Lanka and Registration of Marriages, Births and Deaths, the primary

domestic events of the populace; the preservation of such documents and the issue of certified copies there from at request and thereby

assisting the populace to protect their rights."

REGISTRAR GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATIONAL CHART Civil Registration

Registrar General

Addl-R.G

Dist.Sect./Addl.R.G(25)

Div.Sec/Dist.Registrar (330)

Div.Registrar (914)

Administrative Structure

Civil Registration.

Registration of Births, Marriages and Deaths (Including such events of Sri Lankans abroad.)

Registration of court orders on adoption of children and re-registration of births of such children.

Registration of Kandyan Marriages and Divorces.

Registration of Muslim Marriages & Divorces.

Preparation of vital statistics in respect of births, marriages and deaths

Administrative system of Civil Registration Administrative system of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics systemand Vital Statistics system

Ministry of Public Ministry of Public Administration & Administration &

Home AffairsHome Affairs

Ministry of Finance & Planning

Registrar General’s Department

Department of Census & Statistics

Vital Statistics Unit

Legal requirements for registering Legal requirements for registering death/specifying causedeath/specifying cause

Registration of births, deaths and marriages was initiated under the Dutch rule 1640-1798

First British Enactment on registration of births, deaths and marriages in 1815 – Regulation No.07 (Maritime districts only)

Second British Enactment on registration of births, deaths and marriages in 1822 – Regulation No.09 (Maritime districts only)

General system of registration of birth and death to cover all districts 1847 Ordinance N0.06

Provisions affecting the registration of births and deaths were replaced by Ordinance No.18 – 1867 and 1868 Registration remained optional

Registration of births and deaths became compulsory in 1897 The present law – Births and deaths Registration Act 1951

Current Vital Registration Current Vital Registration SystemSystem

DecentralizedDecentralized 9 Provinces9 Provinces 25 25 DistrictsDistricts 330 Divisional Secretaries Divisions330 Divisional Secretaries Divisions 914 Birth & Death Registration Divisions914 Birth & Death Registration Divisions

Births & Deaths are registered by Births & Deaths are registered by Medical Registrars - in proclaimed townsMedical Registrars - in proclaimed towns Birth and Death Registrars – other townsBirth and Death Registrars – other towns Birth, Death and Marriage Registrars – villagesBirth, Death and Marriage Registrars – villages

Vital Statistics Data Collection SystemVital Statistics Data Collection System

Vital Statistics Unit

33 Scanning Centers

330 Divisional Secretaries

914 Birth & Death Registration Divisions

Coding, editing and processing data

Scanning Returns

Collecting and checking accuracy and completeness

Completing Returns on Birth and Death

Single form for each marriage/birth marriage/birth /death/death

Format to be used for scanning Should be completed at the time of registration Information on Cause of death obtains from the

original records Verbal autopsy form for obtaining cause of death

occur at homes Should be handed over to the DS office before Should be handed over to the DS office before

10 th of each month by registrars 10 th of each month by registrars

Vital Statistics Data Collection SystemVital Statistics Data Collection System

Birth ReturnsBirth Returns

Death ReturnsDeath Returns

Completed forms are checked Completed forms are checked for the completeness and for the completeness and companied with the second companied with the second copy of the marriage/birth / copy of the marriage/birth / deathdeath

Should be handed over to the Should be handed over to the scanning unit of the Land scanning unit of the Land Registry in each following month Registry in each following month

Vital Statistics Data Collection SystemVital Statistics Data Collection System

Scan the documents :-Scan the documents :-

Statistical ReturnsStatistical Returns

B 33 form which contains the B 33 form which contains the cause of death certificated by the cause of death certificated by the DoctorDoctor

B 18 form which contains the B 18 form which contains the cause of death certified by the cause of death certified by the Inquirer into Sudden DeathInquirer into Sudden Death

Send the duplicates to the Send the duplicates to the Central Record RoomCentral Record Room

Send images of scanned Send images of scanned documents to the VSUdocuments to the VSU

Transferring information Transferring information

From Registrars to Divisional Secretaries From Registrars to Divisional Secretaries Offices – completed Statistical Returns Offices – completed Statistical Returns

From Divisional Secretaries Offices to From Divisional Secretaries Offices to District Scanning Unit – checked Statistical District Scanning Unit – checked Statistical returnsreturns

From District Scanning Unit to the Vital From District Scanning Unit to the Vital Statistics Unit - through e-mail / CDsStatistics Unit - through e-mail / CDs

Vital Statistics Processing SystemVital Statistics Processing System

Formless Document systems

Scanning Centers (District Offices)

District Office 1

Head Office(VSU)

District Office 2

District Office 3

Vital Statistics Processing SystemVital Statistics Processing System

VS forms CodingVS forms

(coded)

Scanning

Imagers

ProcessImagers 1234234

13434441133122

data

Who should report the birthWho should report the birth

The Medical Officer of the Gov.hospital The Medical Officer of the Gov.hospital (3 Months)(3 Months)

Medical officer of the private hospital Medical officer of the private hospital (3 Months)(3 Months)

Grama Niladari (7 days)Grama Niladari (7 days) ParentsParents OccupantOccupant

Who should report the deathWho should report the death

The Medical Officer of the Gov.hospital The Medical Officer of the Gov.hospital (3 Months)(3 Months)

Medical officer of the private hospital Medical officer of the private hospital (3 Months) (3 Months)

Grama Niladari (7 days)Grama Niladari (7 days) Judicial officerJudicial officer OccupantOccupant

Main Indicators derived by VS Main Indicators derived by VS for Monitoring and Evaluation for Monitoring and Evaluation

of the health sectorof the health sector

Infant Mortality RateInfant Mortality RateChild Mortality RateChild Mortality RateMaternal Mortality RateMaternal Mortality RateAge - specific Mortality RateAge - specific Mortality RateCause - specific Mortality RateCause - specific Mortality Rate

Indicators are not 100 % accurate Indicators are not 100 % accurate due to -due to -

Under coverage of death registration in Under coverage of death registration in rural areas rural areas

Incompleteness of the information Incompleteness of the information included in statistical returnsincluded in statistical returns

Inaccuracy of information on cause of Inaccuracy of information on cause of deathdeath

Possibilities of under registration of Possibilities of under registration of deathdeath

Some hospitals where the Medical Registrars are not Some hospitals where the Medical Registrars are not availableavailable

Some estates from which the deaths do not report in Some estates from which the deaths do not report in time to the Medical Officertime to the Medical Officer

Some of the Inquirers into Sudden Deaths do not Some of the Inquirers into Sudden Deaths do not send their reports to the Registrars directlysend their reports to the Registrars directly

Some persons do not get any interest to registrar Some persons do not get any interest to registrar deaths due to unawareness of the importance of deaths due to unawareness of the importance of registering a death and also the deceased person has registering a death and also the deceased person has nothing to claimnothing to claim

VS data cannot released in timeVS data cannot released in time

Delay in receipt of statistical returns Delay in receipt of statistical returns from D.S office to the VS unitfrom D.S office to the VS unit

Delay in handovering statistical Delay in handovering statistical returns from registrars to D.S.officesreturns from registrars to D.S.offices

Deaths are registered on the place of Deaths are registered on the place of

occurrenceoccurrence 914 Birth and Death Registration Divisions914 Birth and Death Registration Divisions Out of the above 65 are called as medical registrar’s Out of the above 65 are called as medical registrar’s

divisions located in the major hospital premises divisions located in the major hospital premises A death Should be informed to the relevant Registrar within A death Should be informed to the relevant Registrar within

5 days after the death 5 days after the death But registration can be done within 3 months time period at But registration can be done within 3 months time period at

the Registrar’s Office on the declaration make by the the Registrar’s Office on the declaration make by the informant/relatives informant/relatives

After 3 months and before one year the registration should After 3 months and before one year the registration should be done after an inquiry held at the District Registrar’s Office be done after an inquiry held at the District Registrar’s Office

After one year the report of the inquiry should be examined After one year the report of the inquiry should be examined and approved by the Zonal Assistant Registrar General and approved by the Zonal Assistant Registrar General

If the death occurs at a If the death occurs at a Government Hospital - Government Hospital -

It is the responsibility of the Medical Officer It is the responsibility of the Medical Officer in-charge of the hospital to give information in-charge of the hospital to give information regarding events occurring in such hospitalregarding events occurring in such hospital

Private hospitals are considered as a Private hospitals are considered as a residence and the responsibility of residence and the responsibility of registering the death rests on the relatives registering the death rests on the relatives of the deceased of the deceased

If the death occurs at homes If the death occurs at homes - -

The obligation for giving information rests on The obligation for giving information rests on the nearest relative present at deaththe nearest relative present at death

The Grama Niladhari (Administration Officer The Grama Niladhari (Administration Officer at the village level) has to inform to the at the village level) has to inform to the Registrar and the relevant person also has Registrar and the relevant person also has to go to the Local Registrar’s Office with the to go to the Local Registrar’s Office with the document issued by the Grama Niladhari document issued by the Grama Niladhari

Even the death can be registered without Even the death can be registered without informing to the Grama Niladhari, if the informing to the Grama Niladhari, if the Register is satisfied with the information is Register is satisfied with the information is 100 percent correct 100 percent correct

If the death occurs at an estate - If the death occurs at an estate -

An ‘estate’ means any land of which 100 or more An ‘estate’ means any land of which 100 or more acres are under cultivation and which is situated acres are under cultivation and which is situated in a district declared under the Medical Wants in a district declared under the Medical Wants Ordinance to be an Estate Medical District Ordinance to be an Estate Medical District

Births, deaths and still births that occur in estate Births, deaths and still births that occur in estate scheduled under the Medical Wants Ordinance scheduled under the Medical Wants Ordinance are registered by the District Registrar of the are registered by the District Registrar of the division in which such estates are situateddivision in which such estates are situated

The Superintendent of the Estate is required by The Superintendent of the Estate is required by law to furnish reports of deaths and still births to law to furnish reports of deaths and still births to the appropriate District Registrar/Divisional the appropriate District Registrar/Divisional Secretary through the District Medical OfficerSecretary through the District Medical Officer

If the death occurs of a Sri If the death occurs of a Sri Lankan living abroad Lankan living abroad

Provisions exists in the Consular Act Provisions exists in the Consular Act (No.4 of 1981) for registration of birth, (No.4 of 1981) for registration of birth, death and marriage to be registered at death and marriage to be registered at the Sri Lankan Diplomatic Missions in the Sri Lankan Diplomatic Missions in the relevant countrythe relevant country

Certain officers in such diplomatic Certain officers in such diplomatic missions are Additional District missions are Additional District Registrars of Marriages, Births and Registrars of Marriages, Births and DeathsDeaths

District Registrar DS Office

Registrar of Birth,Death &Marriage

Medical Registrar

MOH

Grama Niladharie

Medical Officer

HomesGovt. Medical

Institutions

EstateSuperintendent

Estates

Death Reporting Process

Certification of Cause of Death

B33 FormVerbal Autopsy form B18 Form

Medical Officer GN / RelativeInquirer into

Sudden Deaths

Hospital

Within 24 hours Of admission

Home

Sudden deaths

Outside the Hospital / Home

Ways of deaths are Ways of deaths are registeredregistered

45% of deaths are registered on the document 45% of deaths are registered on the document issued by the doctor with proper cause of deathissued by the doctor with proper cause of death

25% are registered on the document issued by 25% are registered on the document issued by the Inquirer into sudden deaths – no proper the Inquirer into sudden deaths – no proper cause of death given most of the time cause of death given most of the time

30% of deaths are registered on the declaration 30% of deaths are registered on the declaration made by the relatives of the deceased – cause made by the relatives of the deceased – cause of death?of death?

Completeness of Coverage of Completeness of Coverage of Death RegistrationDeath Registration

Sector 1953 1967 1980

Urban 94.7 100.0 92.9

Rural 86.9 91.7 92.2

Estate - 100.0 100.0

Possibilities of under registration of Possibilities of under registration of deathdeath

Some hospitals where the Medical Registrars are not Some hospitals where the Medical Registrars are not availableavailable

Some estates from which the deaths do not report in Some estates from which the deaths do not report in time to the Medical Officertime to the Medical Officer

Some of the Inquirers into Sudden Deaths do not Some of the Inquirers into Sudden Deaths do not send their reports to the Registrars directlysend their reports to the Registrars directly

Some persons do not get any interest to registrar Some persons do not get any interest to registrar deaths due to unawareness of the importance of deaths due to unawareness of the importance of registering a death and also the deceased person has registering a death and also the deceased person has nothing to claimnothing to claim

Steps taken to make the death Steps taken to make the death registration 100%registration 100%

Amending the Birth & Death Registration Act Amending the Birth & Death Registration Act and make new rules and regulations to make the and make new rules and regulations to make the death registration compulsorydeath registration compulsory

Introducing awareness programmes to the Introducing awareness programmes to the public – posters , leaflets, hand books and other public – posters , leaflets, hand books and other communication programmes communication programmes

Increase the penalty for non registration of Increase the penalty for non registration of eventsevents

THANK YOU !D.P.Rajapaksa

Senior Statistician

Vital Statistics Unit

Registrar General’s Department

Sri Lanka.