Anti-female foeticide law not effective enough?
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 03 2016: The Govern-ment of Manipur is still unable to implement the Pre-Con-ception and the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Pro-hibition of Sex Selection) Act 1994 effectively in the State.

It has been reported that the most common device used in committing female foeticide is ultrasound machine although it is intended to serve as a pre-natal diagnostic technique.

An ultrasound machine can determine whether a foetus is a male or a female.

RIMS Department of Gynaecology, Head Dr Ranjit said that sex of a foetus can be determined 18 months after conception.

Majority of the medical professionals have by and large accepted that ultrasound machine is most widely used in committing female foeticide.

The Pre-Conception and the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act 1994 lays special emphasis on use of ultrasound machines by gynaecologists, particularly in private clinics and hospitals.

Under the Act, all Government hospitals, private hos- pitals and clinics should get themselves registered with the Family Welfare Department for using ultrasound machines and they should send reports for every case.

The reports should be in the format prescribed by Family Welfare Department and they should be accompanied with a declaration from patients that they have no intention to determine sex of foetuses and another declaration from consultant doctors that they never disclose the sexes of foetuses to their patients.

To look into this matter, one PNDT cell has been opened at Family Welfare Department.

After receiving certificate for installing ultrasound machines, the same machines should be used by doctors/medical professionals who have completed MD in Radio Diagnostics or Diploma in Radio Diagnostics or three to nine months course on Radio Diagnostics and Gynaecologists who possess ultrasound experience certificate of registration.

All hospitals/clinics should display sign boards/banner clearly embossed with the words 'Sex determination is not done here'.

Altogether 107 private hospitals, clinics and Government hospitals including RIMS and JNIMS have been registered at the PNDT Cell for using ultrasound machines.

Dr Arun of PNDT Cell told The Sangai Express that maximum efforts are being invested to get all ultrasound machine users registered.

However, not all registered hospitals/clinics send reports of using ultrasound machines.

Efforts are also on to make all ultrasound machines immobile, rather than being portable, Dr Arun said.

Non-compliance with the Pre-Conception and the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act 1994 entails a jail term of three years and a fine of Rs 10,000 .

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