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Unregulated USG machines available online cause rise in illegal sex determination cases

ByVicky Pathare
Aug 02, 2024 07:32 AM IST

The health department has filed 620 cases of PCPNDTA Act violations in the state from 1994 till June 10, 2024

Officials have raised concern over unregistered and unregulated portable ultrasound machines easily available online for illegal sex determination practices and female foeticide cases in Maharashtra.

Health officials stressed the importance of maintaining ethical standards within the medical community while ensuring that government expectations of transparency are met (HT PHOTO)
Health officials stressed the importance of maintaining ethical standards within the medical community while ensuring that government expectations of transparency are met (HT PHOTO)

The health department registers ultrasound clinics, genetic centres, and genetic laboratories as per the provisions of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994 Amended Act 2003. Till March 2024, 11,457 centres are registered in Maharashtra, inspected every three months by the authority.

The health department has filed 620 cases of PCPNDTA Act violations in the state from 1994 till June 10, 2024

However, authorities are grappling with the challenge to curb the illicit practice, which undermines decades of efforts to promote gender equality and combat discrimination against girls. Health officials have called for stricter regulations to monitor the import, purchase and use of portable ultrasound machines (USGs).

Advocate Megha Sontale, district legal advisor, Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, said, “Portable ultrasound machines were seized in the sex determination rackets busted at Pune district and one each in Aurangabad, Solapur and Kolhapur. The accused confessed to purchasing the machines online.”

The ultrasound manufacturing units through their dealers inform the PCPNDTA authority about sale of any devices to any firm of registered practitioner. There are 416 registered dealers in the state for ultrasound machines.

According to officials, USG machines are easily available on the B2B websites majorly posted by Chinese firms.

Dr Babita Kamlapurkar, additional director, family welfare and health services, Maharashtra, said, “While we regularly visit ultrasound centres, we cannot nab violators who use the machines bought online. We have to depend on informers who alert about such violations in the neighbourhood. The details of our sources are kept secret, and they are rewarded 1 lakh if the tip-off is right and the operation successful.”

Health officials stressed the importance of maintaining ethical standards within the medical community while ensuring that government expectations of transparency are met. While the state recorded a sex ratio of 919 girls per 1,000 boys in 2019, it dropped to 904 girls per 1000 boys in 2022. However, despite incentives for those who can successfully help identify offenders under the PCPNDT and Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, the department has been struggling to improve the sex ratio in Maharashtra due to the new trend.

Dr Sunil Ingale, former president of Maharashtra State Branch of Indian Radiologist and Imaging Association (MSBIRIA), Pune chapter, said, “Portability is not allowed in radiology and both the premises and the machine are registered. Units bought online from China and other places should be monitored.”

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