Replies obtained through Right to the Information Act by an activist in Madurai have revealed that many scan centres violated the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994. Though the RTI query was posed to four southern States, only Kerala responded.
“A majority of scan centres functioning in our cities do not have approved sonologists. At least, 50 per cent of them violated guidelines of the Medical Council of India. There is a risk in diagnosis and the inference arrived at by ‘experts,’” cautions Anandraj, an activist, who has obtained details of scan centres under the Right to Information Act.
Speaking to The Hindu , the activist said that he had sought details from the Department of Health and Family Welfare officials on May 1 from the southern States of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka for a comparative study as there were many conflicting reports about the functioning of scan centres.
While officials from Kerala alone responded, their disclosure suggested that they were ignorant of the code framed by the MCI on scan centres. “Only on receipt of my application, did the officials conduct raids by forming special teams across the 14 districts of Kerala,” he noted.
According to the data, 80 teams participated in the inspection conducted across Kerala on May 26. Out of a total of 523 institutions inspected, at least 50 per cent had violated the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act 1994. For example, in Thiruvananthapuram, out of 34 scan centres, 15 violated the norms. The officials had sealed/confiscated eight centres and initiated legal action, the data said. Similarly, out of 26 scan centres in Kasaragode, 12 were found violating the Act.
Though the officials had responded to two questions, there was no answer to a few other queries like, “How many scan centres in your city have approved sonologists?”
As per MCI guidelines, the name of the sonologist certifying the documents should also have his/her qualification and the registration number issued by appropriate authorities. However, in most of the scan reports, only a signature appeared without any mandatory information, Mr. Anandraj said.
The absence of response from Tamil Nadu officials to queries only showed their disrespect for the RTI Act, he charged. The Joint Director Medical and Rural Health Services, Madurai, had replied that there were 361 scan centres functioning in Madurai district. Beyond this, the response to other queries simply had ‘Nil’ as answer, he added.
‘Responsibility lies
with SIC’
Rights activist and People’s Watch Executive Director Henri Tiphagne said that moral responsibility was with the State Information Commission. The State government should appoint qualified, serving officers for the post of chairperson, which alone would give credibility to the Act.
Of the four southern States, only Kerala responded to queries
