Ensure ultrasound scanning centres adhere to PCPNDT Act regulations, Udupi DC tells officials

Deputy Commissioner T.K. Swaroopa on Tuesday instructed officials to grant licence to open ultrasound scanning centres in Udupi district only to those entities that strictly adhere to the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994.

She was speaking at the PCPNDT District Level Competent Authority Committee meeting and the District Level Private Medical Institutions Registration and Grievance Redressal Authority meeting at Rajatadri, district office complex in Manipal.

She said the Act was enforced to provide better health services to people. Ms. Swaroopa said the details of radiologists performing duties should be displayed at the centres as per the Act. Government’s permission letter should be displayed compulsorily while necessary registers should be maintained systematically.

She said while changing scanning machines or radiologists, permission should be obtained from the competent authority at the district level. If permission is not obtained, legal action should be taken against them.

Prenatal sex determination and killing of foetuses is a punishable offence. District level committees should be vigilant about this. When pregnant women come to scanning centres for check-up, they should be able to choose doctors and get the check-up done in a short time.

Ms. Swaroopa said members of the PCPNDT District Review and Inspection Committee should mandatorily visit all registered scanning centres and hospitals within three months and if any shortcomings are found in the implementation of the PCPNDT Act, appropriate action should be taken against them.

Taluk authorised inspection committees visited 120 private health institutions in Udupi, 94 in Kundapur, and 120 in Karkala taluks during September-April and issued notices to 102, 248, and 65 institutions respectively for non-availability of fire safety equipment and non-compliance with certain KPME regulations, she said.

Stating that the sex ratio (983:1000) was less in the district, the DC asked officials to organise sensitisation programmes to create awareness about the problems caused by fewer girls.

District Health and Family Welfare Officer Basavaraj Hubballi, District Family Welfare Officer K Sriram Rao, Urban Development Cell Project Director Subrahanya, Udupi Municipal Commissioner Mahantesh Hangargi and others were present.