Other States - Orissa   

Ultrasound centres under scanner

Special Correspondent

Seven clinics sealed in Nayagarh town, which is at the centre of controversy

Photo: Ashoke Chakrabarty

Crying for attention: Activists of the All India Democratic Women’s Association demonstrating in front of the State Secretariat in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday against the incidence of female foeticide in Nayagarh district. –

BHUBANESWAR: Acting swiftly, Health Department officials started raiding ultrasound clinics and diagnostic centres across the State on Tuesday in their efforts to get at those involved in female foeticide.

The towns where the health authorities inspected nursing homes and diagnostic centres include Nayagarh, Cuttack and Berhampur.

In Nayagarh town that has been at the centre of the controversy, seven clinics have been sealed and further investigations were on to know if they were involved in female foeticide.

In Cuttack, a team led by the Chief District Medical Officer S.N. Das inspected as many as 10 clinics and began the process for verification of their records. Four of those clinics were found to be having ultrasound apparatus that are used for determining the sex of a child in the womb.

Any action would be taken only after though verification of the documents and searching of the premises, Dr. Das said. Many clinics in the town have been instructed to keep their records ready for verification.

In all places, Health Department officials took the help of the local administration and police to carry out their surprise checks.

State Health Secretary Chinmay Basu had on Monday issued instructions to all District Collectors to formulate strategies in coordination with the Chief District Medial Officers to ascertain if any doctor or clinic was involved in the ghastly act of killing baby girl even before they were born.

In Berhampur, a group of officials visited the premises of several ultrasound clinics and questioned those manning them. In Balasore, the Chief District Medical Officer already requested the district police to seal some of the ultrasound clinics and diagnostic centres.

The Health Department, however, was grappling with the crisis primarily because of shortage of manpower to carry out technical verifications.

Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women informed the State government that it would send a three-member team to take stock of the situation. The team would visit Nayagarh town on July 26, an official said. As the government was trying to take measures to tackle the female foeticide issue, the opposition parties have demanded action against all those doctors and other authorities who were hand in glove with those involved in the crime. The alleged complicity of some government doctors in the controversy in Nayagarh has raised many eyebrows. The wife of a government doctor has been arrested in connection with the recovery of infant body parts from inside a well that was being used by a nursing home for dumping medical waste on the outskirts of the town.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Book on civil code presented to Governor
Thousands witness Bahuda yatra
Naveen opens apparel centre
Drug inspector suspended
Strikes, demos hit services at SCB hospital
Centre for Corporate Studies launched
SP accuses State of inaction
Ultrasound centres under scanner

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu