HT Correspondent
HAFLONG, May 14: In an important effort to raise awareness and ensure vigilance against female foeticide, a District Advisory Committee Meeting was convened on Wednesday at the office of the Additional Chief Medical & Health Officer (F.W.) in Haflong. The meeting focused on the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994 (PC & PNDT), a crucial law aimed at preventing sex determination and female foeticide.
During the meeting, the status of ultrasound clinics in Dima Hasao was reviewed. Dr Jesmin Begum, Joint Director of Health Services, Dima Hasao, provided insights into the situation, while Dr Marina Changsan, Additional Chief Medical & Health Officer, highlighted that the district currently operates six ultrasound centers. However, five of these centers are based in Haflong, with only one functional center in Umrangso. Dr Changsan emphasized that these facilities are insufficient to meet the growing demand for medical services, with patients from outlying areas like Umrangso, Diyungbra, and Maibang often seeking treatment at private health facilities in Hojai, while residents of Harangajao travel to medical centers in Silchar.
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A new ultrasound facility was inaugurated in Umrangso recently, but it faces challenges due to the shortage of qualified radiologists, with a professional visiting the facility only once a month. This underscores the need for a more robust health infrastructure to meet the increasing demand for specialized services.
The meeting also focused on the critical issue of sex determination, which is strictly prohibited under the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act. Dr. Begum and Dr. Changsan emphasized that anyone found guilty of conducting sex determination tests faces severe penalties. Doctors involved in such tests can be sentenced to up to three years of rigorous imprisonment, along with a fine of Rs 10,000. Family members requesting such tests could face up to five years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 50,000. Importantly, pregnant women will not be held accountable for these offenses.
The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994 is an essential legislative measure introduced by the Government of India to address the rising issue of female foeticide and to prevent the misuse of technology in the determination of the sex of the fetus, aiming to protect the declining sex ratio in the country.
The meeting was attended by Dr Jesmin Begum, Joint Director of Health Services, and other key health officials.
