Officials are yet to crack on pre-natal gender tests
The sex determination tests are reportedly going unchecked in the district. In fact, the district has emerged as the breeding ground for conducting such tests. The tests are being carried out clandestinely and the female fetuses are being aborted if the test results indicate that the fetus is not that of a baby boy, it is alleged.
The tests are being done at the doorsteps of the pregnant women by some diagnostic laboratories visiting the patients along with their mobile kits, reports indicate.
It is apparent that the patients are visiting from neighbouring states of Maharashtra and Karnataka to undergo the pre-natal gender test.
Conducting such tests is prohibited by law. At many diagnostic centres, the scanning of the fetuses is being done to assess the health of the baby, but they refrain from conducting the sex-determination tests.
Recently, the officials conducted raids on several diagnostic laboratories and hospitals and seized them for conducting the tests. When one hospital is sealed, another hospital with a different name has been opened to resume the conduct of such tests.
When the persons with no proper qualifications and experience are conducting the tests, jeopardizing the lives of the expectant mothers, it is said.
The scanning centres are required to have experienced radiologist and technician on their rolls. Some centres have been conducting the tests. In 2021, complaints were lodged against a few hospitals on conducting the tests. The state’s health team conducted the raids and the irregularities going on in the hospital were completely video recorded. The hospital was seized and the organisers of the hospital were taken into custody.
As and when a woman becomes pregnant, the family members are bringing the patient to this place to undergo the sex-determination test done. Most of the patients who visit this are pregnant woman having a girl as their first child.
These unscrupulous centres charge anything between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 to conduct the sex-determination test and reveal the identity of the fetus.
The registered medical practitioners (RMP) too are conducting tests.
