Latest news with #PCPNDT
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
DMHOs of all 33 Telangana districts sensitised on PCPNDT Act
A sensitisation and orientation workshop on the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994 was conducted at the Indian Institute of Health and Family Welfare (IIHFW), Hyderabad on Wednesday, July 9. The workshop was attended by District Medical and Health Officers (DMHOs) of all the 33 districts. The workshop was conducted by senior officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), including Dr. Padmini Kashyap, Deputy Commissioner, and Dr. Indranil Das, Director, PCPNDT. The training covered the importance of enhancing the value of the girl child in society, current status and monitoring indicators of PCPNDT Act implementation across the state, clarification of roles and responsibilities of Advisory Committees and Appropriate Authorities under the Act and Code of conduct, legal provisions, offences, and penalties under the PCPNDT framework, said a release.
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Time of India
Health dept cracks down on illegal trade of sonography machines
1 2 JAIPUR: Rajasthan health department on Wednesday busted a global racket involved in the illegal trade of portable foreign made sonography machines. Officials said these unregistered machines could be misused for female foeticide due to its small size and power backup. The department's pre-conception and pre-natal diagnostic techniques (PCPNDT) team arrested Amitabh Bhaduri, a gang-member Wednesday. He came to sell machines from Hoogly, West Bengal to Jaipur after he negotiated a deal for Rs 6.3 lakh. Officials said they were tracking the online illegal sale of sonography machines for two months. "We asked one of the health department's employe to call the person selling the machines. The person agreed for a deal after we agreed to transfer Rs 15,000 online," said Devendra Chaudhary, joint director (Bikaner), health department. "He came to the city via train due to security reasons and briefly stayed in the waiting room of the station. We asked him to deliver the machine in Central Park where PCPNDT officials arrested him." A PCPNDT official said that upon interrogation, Bhaduri said he brought the machine from a person named Aditya Murarka of Life Plus Healthcare Private Limited, Kolkata. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Stap in de nieuwe Kia EV6. Ontvang jouw inruilvoorstel. Kia Meer informatie Undo Dr Amit Yadav, mission director of the National Health Mission, said that several others are involved in this trade and the machines are being sold up to Rs 10 lakh across the country. He added that local police and administration in Kolkata have been informed about this illegal racket and investigation is being pursued.
Hindustan Times
24-06-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Gurugram sex ratio improves after March slump
After a steep decline in the sex ratio earlier this year, Gurugram has shown signs of recovery with the figure crossing the 900 mark for the first time in 2025. According to the district health department, the sex ratio in May stood at 917 girls per 1,000 boys — a marked improvement from 751 in March, which had sparked alarm across the administration, officials said. Gurugram sex ratio improves after March slump Health department officials attributed the turnaround to intensified inspections, legal action, and awareness campaigns aimed at curbing gender-based sex selection. 'The declining sex ratio was a matter of serious concern. We intensified our inspections, especially after the March data. After taking action, the figures rose in April and May,' said Dr Alka Singh, chief medical officer, Gurugram. Official records show the monthly sex ratio for 2025 as follows: January – 877, February – 850, March – 751, April – 907, and May – 917. District authorities cracked down on illegal practices under the PCPNDT (Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques) Act. In one case, an ultrasound technician was arrested in a sting operation for disclosing the sex of a foetus. The centre was sealed, and action was taken against the accused, according to district health officials. Dr Pradeep Kumar, deputy civil surgeon and PCPNDT nodal officer, said, 'We are taking help from decoy patients and using sting operations to catch repeat offenders. Our team conducts surprise inspections and follows up on every complaint.' According to Kumar, licences of 66 ultrasound centres have been suspended or cancelled this year for non-compliance. Eleven raids have been conducted under the MTP (Medical Termination of Pregnancy) Act and two under the PCPNDT Act. To further tighten surveillance, a district-level task force has been constituted under the Deputy Commissioner. It works in coordination with the police, health, and legal departments to monitor ultrasound centres and prevent sex determination. 'We organised awareness camps in areas where the sex ratio had fallen below 750. So far, we have conducted 18 such camps. We also informed the public about a ₹ 1 lakh reward for credible information on illegal sex determination,' said Kumar. Gurugram's annual sex ratio was 899 in 2024, 928 in 2023, 922 in 2022, and a low of 914 in 2021. The figures stood at 917 and 923 in 2020 and 2019, respectively. 'We are hopeful that this trend will continue, but awareness among families and community participation are equally important to bring about the changes,' Kumar added.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Maharashtra govt to set up vigilance cells to stop illegal uterus removals among cane cutters
1 2 Pune: Maharashtra health minister Prakash Abitkar said on Tuesday the state would set up vigilance committees to check if hospitals or doctors were performing unnecessary and illegal hysterectomies on women. The minister made the announcement after several press reports highlighted a growing number of such procedures being carried out among women sugar cane cutters in Beed. The meeting on Tuesday in Mumbai also involved state women's commission chairperson Chitra Wagh, who has urged the health department to look into the reports. Maharashtra sugar commissioner Siddharam Salimath, who too attended the meeting, said: "New SOPs will be drafted and the issue has been brought under the purview of the health department. The office of the sugar commissioner does not have any direct authority in the matter. But I have instructed all sugar mills in the state to ensure regular health checkups are carried out for cane cutters." For years, there has been concern that women cane cutters, especially in Beed district, were getting their wombs removed to not lose out on daily wages. A 2018 survey of 200 women in Beed by the Maharashtra State Commission for Women revealed that 36% of them had undergone hysterectomy. Another study in 2019 found that of 271 women, 21% had undergone hysterectomies. And both surveys found that nearly 85% of the procedures had been carried out at private hospitals. Experts said the data overall suggested hysterectomies in Beed were 14 times higher than the national average of 3.2% (in 2019). A week ago, there were more media reports alleging that a high number of hysterectomies had been carried out in 2024, to prevent women cane cutters from taking leaves during menstruation. During the meeting, Abitkar asked officials to be more vigilant and ordered the setting up of a district-level committee to monitor complaints of illegal uterus removals, said a statement late on Tuesday. A senior health department official who was part of the meeting said: "The committees at the district level will be similar to how PCPNDT committees work, to check illegal sex determination. The district-level committee will conduct random checks at private hospitals where a high number of hysterectomies have been performed. They will work like a flying squad and will review each case to check if a hysterectomy was required or not. " The official, who didn't want to be named, said such committees will be set up in nine Maharashtra districts, in Vidarbha and Marathwada regions. "If any hospital is found involved in malpractice, action will be initiated under the Bombay Nursing Act," the health department official said. Dr Shilpa Naik, associate professor with Pune's BJ Medical College said early hysterectomies posed a lifetime risk for women. "An early hysterectomy means all symptoms of menopause, which are supposed to kick in later in life after the natural menopausal cycle, begin showing early. The protection a woman has thanks to her hormones will wear off too, making her more susceptible to cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular symptoms like strokes, genitourinary symptoms like urinary incontinence, fractures and hot flashes. The ovaries will also stop functioning 2-3 years after the hysterectomy," Dr Naik said.
The Hindu
07-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Annamayya DMHO warns against gender determination tests
Annamayya District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) Ushasri warned against the illegal practice of gender determination tests, terming it a 'highly punishable offence'. She said that those found to be violating the law by conducting, facilitating, or promoting the prohibited tests, would be prosecuted. The DMHO was speaking at the district advisory committee meeting, here on Wenesday. Highlighting the provisions of the PCPNDT (Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques) Act, she called for the urgent need to implement the Act strictly, so that the girl child ratio across Annamayya district could be improved. 'All the departments should extend full cooperation for the effective implementation of the Act. Private clinics and scanning centres violating the norms should be dealt with sternly, including their closure,' Dr. Ushasri said. Senior medical officers, who also took part in the meeting, highlighted the relevance of holding a series of public awareness campaigns about the PCPNDT Act and initiatives connected to it, such as Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, and Save the Girl Child. The speakers also called on Medical, Paramedical personnel, and NGOs to step up sensitisation programmes across the district. Meanwhile, the DMHO said that decoy operations would be conducted to detect the centres engaging in illegal gender determination tests.
