Taking cognisance of a newspaper report about several hospitals and clinics in Indore performing surgeries on baby girls to change their sex, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has asked the State government to undertake an investigation with a team of doctors, known for high professional competence and ethical standards.
The Commission has sought a detailed report within 15 days, giving facts, figures and circumstances of the cases, list of doctors/hospitals practising genitoplasty and action taken or contemplated against them.
It also wants to know the measures taken by the Madhya Pradesh government at the State/district and local level in terms of publicity/awareness campaign against the adverse effects of sex change operations as well as female foeticide and infanticide.
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It has asked the government why measures to create awareness against preference for a male child have been ineffective.
‘Curb unethical practice’
The State government has also been asked to take all necessary action to combat the unethical practice, including cancellation of the licence and registration of doctors and hospitals involved and initiating penal action against them under IPC and other applicable laws/guidelines.
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According to the newspaper report, every year hospitals in Indore perform hundreds of such operations on baby girls. Genitoplasty is performed on children who are just 5 years old.
The procedure costs about Rs. 1.5 lakh.