Deputy Commissioner R. Vishal on Thursday directed officials of the Health and Family Welfare Department to conduct surprise checks on ultrasound clinics in the district.
He was chairing a meeting on Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act District Advisory Committee, here. Dr. Vishal said that many families in the district did not try to have a second child after having the first one. But there was difference in the gender ratios of children in some communities in the district.
Hence, there was a possibility that sex determination tests could be taking place in some of the 99 ultrasound clinics and it was imperative that officials check them, he said.
Rohini, District Health and Family Welfare Officer, said that a fee of Rs. 1.22 lakh had been collected from these ultrasound clinics from February 15 to July 15.
Genetic clinic
Besides these 99 ultrasound clinics, there was a genetic clinic, a genetic counselling centre and a genetic lab in the district, she said. Dr. Vishal said that as many as 987 medical institutions including clinics and hospitals under different systems of medicines had been registered in the district. He directed the officials to shut down any clinic being found to be run by alleged quacks in the district.
M. Kanagavalli, CEO of the zilla panchayat, and officers of the Health and Family Welfare Department, were present.
‘There is a
possibility that sex determination tests could be taking place’
