A total of 288 centres in the district, 25 defunct; DC calls for stringent enforcement of PCPNDT Act

Mysore/Mysuru: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Dr. K. V. Rajendra has instructed officials from the District Health and Family Welfare Department to conduct inspections of scanning centres within the district. The objective is to assess their compliance with the guidelines outlined in the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique (PCPNDT) Act.

Dr. Rajendra articulated these directives at the PCPNDT meeting held at the auditorium of the District Health and Family Welfare Office recently. Emphasising the importance of adherence to the PCPNDT Act, he stated, “All scanning centres must register as per the PCPNDT Act. Any unregistered centres engaging in sex determination tests must be identified and a report submitted. It is imperative to ensure the mandatory maintenance of Form F at scanning centres.”

Providing an overview of the current scenario, Dr. Rajendra informed that out of the 288 PCPNDT centres in the district, inspections had been conducted at 232 centres. Notices have been issued to 82 centres for non-compliance with Form F filing.

He stressed the need for all centres to submit Form F, with officials monitoring these forms regularly. Dr. Rajendra also noted that approximately 25 centres had become defunct, urging officials to seal their machinery to prevent misuse.

Expressing concern about the declining ratio of female children in the district, Dr. Rajendra urged officials to diligently carry out their duties by the PCPNDT Act.

The PCPNDT Act outlines specific regulations, including restricting access to the scanning room during the procedure, prohibiting the display of pictures or signs denoting the sex of the infant and mandating the placement of posters declaring, ‘Sex Determination Test is Not Done Here.’ Radiologists are permitted to work only in two shifts.

Dr. Rajendra directed the establishment of District Level Committees at the taluk level, consisting representatives from the Police Department, NGOs, radiologists, medical officers and other officials.

In a supplementary directive, Dr. Rajendra insisted that every hospital and scanning centre prominently display their KPME licence, visiting hours of doctors, names of doctors and MBBS registration numbers. He urged officials to inspect the daily presence of visiting doctors and scrutinise the growing number of Ayurveda clinics, emphasising that Ayurveda doctors should prescribe only Ayurveda medicines.

Action will be taken against Ayurveda doctors found administering English medicines. Furthermore, he urged officials to investigate and report on tent-like clinics treating nervous disorders and sexual problems lacking proper licences.

The meeting was attended by District Health Officer (DHO)  Dr. P.C. Kumaraswamy, Deputy Director of the Women and Child Development Department Basavaraju and officials from various taluk-level Departments.