Nizamabad:Medical and health department officials are focusing on scanning centres to prevent illegal sex determination tests. Reports have emerged that some scanning centres in Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts have been conducting illegal sex determination tests on pregnant women. People from neighbouring states like Maharashtra and Karnataka are allegedly traveling to these centres for the tests.
In response, district collectors and medical officers have issued strict warnings to scanning centers about violating the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994. Warning boards have been placed in hospitals to deter illegal testing. Authorities suspect that some registered medical practitioners (RMP) and private medical practitioners (PMP) are facilitating these illegal tests.
Middlemen are reportedly charging large sums to conduct these tests. Recently, officials seized a scanning centre in Kamareddy town for performing illegal sex determination tests. To address this, six teams have been formed in the Nizamabad district to regularly monitor scanning centers. A district-level advisory committee meeting on the PCPNDT Act has also been held to assess the situation.
Dr B. Rajasri, the district medical and health officer, stressed that scanning centres would be allowed to register or renew their licenses only if they adhere to proper protocols. Serious action would be taken against any center found conducting sex determination tests on pregnant women. She also urged scanning centers not to accept prescriptions from RMPs and PMPs for such tests.
Dr Rajasri further warned medical shop owners against selling abortion medicines without a valid referral from a qualified doctor. She also stressed that scanning centers must maintain proper records and reports or risk having their licenses revoked. Regular awareness programmes are being conducted to educate the public on the PCPNDT Act.
