Tests unabated for girl babies
Though legislation has existed for several years now making it illegal for centres to reveal the sex of the foetus in pre-conception and pre-natal diagnostic tests, in rural areas abortions of girl babies continue to take place, seriously unbalancing the sex ratio.
The administration at district level has been alerting ultra sound scanning centres, hospitals and diagnostic centres about the serious consequences of flouting the PCNTDA Act, but hospitals, doctors and medical staff continue to administer the gender test.
A new threat is posed by gangs from neighbouring Maharashtra and Karnataka who are offering such tests at the doorstep, using mobile cars and vans with portable machines.
Chairperson of the State Women's Commission, Tripurana Venkataratnam, such portable machines are not allowed under the Act.
“We have noticed that most ultrasound scanning centres in rural areas are not following rules. As per the Act, the scanning centres should ask for prescriptions from doctors for scanning,” she said.
She said agents of the PCPNDT tests are operating like a medical mafia, dominating hospitals and scanning centres.
Mr Ch. Anil, founder of the non-profit Revolution Welfare Society, which works with tribals in Adilabad district, said that the racket has links with a network of private hospitals in neighbouring districts.
"Some hospitals are encouraging such tests and abortions in case the results reveal a girlbaby in the womb. These hospitals have good relations with some private hospitals in Karimnagar district and hospitals have contacts with neighbouring Mahabubabad, Khammam, Suryapet, and Bhadradri districts,” Mr Kumar said.
He said investigating agencies should “break the chain” by taking action against one or two hospitals whenever the media focuses on the issue.
Besides Karimnagar, Adilabad and Mahbubabad districts, abortions of girl-babies are dangerously high in Nalgonda, Suryapet, Mahbubnagar, Gadwal and Sangareddy districts.
An auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) of Kuruvi mandal in Mahbubabad district said that there was a huge gap between the number of registered pregnant women and the number of deliveries.
“Even well educated women are approaching doctors for abortions if the scan reveals that the foetus is female. A government teacher registered with us last year. She had two girls and an ultrasound scan by a portable machine operated by the agents showed that the third would also be a girl. She got an abortion in a private hospital.”
“We registered 875 pregnancies in Mahbubabad district. About 175 mothers had abortions for medical reasons and 125 had abortions after seeing the results,” she said.