Sonography Centers to be Monitored Across State

Sonography centers violating Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act provisions are under the radar of health department. Directions have been issued to the PCPNDT cell officials to conduct monitoring of sonography centers across the state. A meeting of PCPNDT supervisory board was held in the city on Monday in which directions were issued to officials to conduct inspections of sonography centers across the state to check if active trackers and GPS are working properly. It is mandatory for the sonography centers to install active tracker on sonography machines. The active tracker helps PCPNDT cell officials monitor the activities performed on sonography machines. The sonography machines are illegally used for conducting sex determination tests. Active tracker and GPS were installed to keep a check on illegal sex determination of fetus.

Health minister Raghu Sharma said that they will continue conducting decoy operations in the state and nearby states for nabbing the accused red-handed. Directions have been issued to continue decoy operations, he said. In the state, over 140 decoy operations have already been conducted at sonography centers and at other locations where the sonography machines were transported illegally for conducting sex tests. Moreover, in the meeting, directions were issued to continue monitoring abortions under Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act. PCPNDT cell in-charge Shilpa Choudhary said, “We will step up efforts for monitoring active trackers and conduct regular inspections of sonography centers”. Besides, the nominated members of PCPNDT supervisory board at state, district and block levels will be changed with the change in the government in state. – TOI