The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Private hospitals warned against conducting sex determination tests

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Thursday, Jul 03, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Private hospitals warned against conducting sex determination tests

Staff Reporter

Steps being taken to contain chikungunya, says Minister

Bangalore: The Health and Family Welfare Department will initiate stringent action against the managements of private hospitals if they are found encouraging and conducting pre-natal sex determination tests, Health Minister B. Sriramulu has said.

Speaking after flagging off a jatha in front of Vidhana Soudha organised to mark “Save Girl Child’ Day, the Minister said it had come to the Government’s notice that most hospitals were misusing ultrasound scanning machines and conducting pre-natal sex determination tests.

“Sex determination and subsequent female foeticide has become a money-spinner for several medical practitioners who charge a premium for the illegal service. If any doctors are found to be violating the rules prescribed under the Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act, they will be put behind bars for five years and also slapped a penalty of Rs. 1 lakh,” he said.

Reacting to remarks made by the Opposition Congress that the “Health Minister had disappeared at a crucial time when chikungunya was affecting more and more people,” the Minister said he had visited hospitals in Sullia, Belathangady and personally monitored the treatment of chikungunya victims there. He said he had ensured that there were adequate stocks of medicine, ambulances and doctors in all the hospitals.

“All measures are being initiated to contain the outbreak of chikungunya in the State,” he said. I have directed the health officials to supply food and medicine to the families of the affected persons.

There was no dearth of funds to control the disease, he said. Mr. Sriramulu said that the department would evolve permanent measures to prevent the outbreak of vector-borne disease in the State in future.

The Minister said dengue had not claimed any lives so far. He said officials had been asked to verify if any dengue cases were reported at private hospitals.

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