To curb prenatal sex determination: Diagnostic centres under scanner

In a recent order issued by the Additional Director of Health Services (Admin) all the CMoHs have been instructed to send the inspection and monitoring committee to all blocks for smooth supervision of all imaging clinics. 

Pradip Chatterjee | MP | 27 Oct 2022 | KOLKATA: State Health department has directed the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMoHs) in all the districts to send district inspection and monitoring committees to all blocks, sub-divisions and also to various municipality areas for better surveillance of imaging clinics or diagnostic centres so that pre-conception and pre-natal diagnostic techniques (PC&PNDT) Act is implemented properly. 

In a recent order issued by the Additional Director of Health Services (Admin) all the CMoHs have been instructed to send the inspection and monitoring committee to all blocks for smooth supervision of all imaging clinics. 

The inspection team will go to the clinics and check if there are any anomalies in paper works. The move is to check incidents of prenatal sex determination which is not only found in Bengal but also across the country. 

The team will collect data from the imaging clinics and verify them to ascertain if any malpractices took place in any centres. Director of Health Service Dr Sidhhartha Niyogi said that it is a routine process.

The inspection is carried out throughout the state to ensure that PC&PNDT Act is not violated. Abnormalities are found in around 1 per cent of cases and the steps are taken as per the provisions of the law. 

The PC&PNDT Act was enacted in 1994 with the intent to prohibit prenatal diagnostic techniques for the determination of the sex of the fetus leading to female feticide. The preliminary object is to put a check on female feticide. 

The Act was amended and effectively implemented in 2003 and strictly amended in 2011. Stringent action is being taken against all the erring radiologists/sonologists/gynaecologists if any irregularities are found. 

http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/to-curb-prenatal-sex-determination-diagnostic-centres-under-scanner-497119