Mushrooming scanning centres pose threat to gender balance

Presenting a study on 'Restoring Gender Balance at Birth - A Case Study of Hyderabad' at a seminar on 'Protection and Empowerment of Girl Child,' Arvind Kumar, who was former collector of Hyderabad and currently commissioner, fisheries, said there had been a 45.24 per cent rise in scanning centres in the city in the last three years. There were 389 scanning centres in 2005, and as per the latest figures the number had risen to 565 in Hyderabad, he said.

While the average rise in the number of scanning centres in the state is 46.99 per cent, some districts witnessed a steep rise. For instance, in Mahbubnagar, there were 53 scanning centres in 2005 and the number had now increased to 123 - a 132.08 per cent rise. In Vizianagarm there are 36 scanning centres as against 19 earlier. In Rangareddy district, there are 358 centres at present as against 214 in 2005. At present, there are 3,147 scanning centres in the state as against 2,141 in 2005.

Arvind Kumar said that, "though there has been a rise in the girl child ratio in Hyderabad from 873 in 2002 to 1,014 in 2005 due to the implementation of the Pre Conception & Pre Natal Diagnostic (Prevention of misuse) Techniques Act (PC&PNDT Act), the drive involving NGOs, health department and voluntary organisations has to continue.

For every pregnant woman undergoing scanning, complete details need to be filled in and submitted to the district administration. However, 72 per cent of scanning centres are not doing it, which amounts to violation of the Act, he added. According to the study, 81 per cent of the scanning centres reported more than one scan per day. The commissioner observed that change in the mindset and implementation of the laws aimed at controlling misuse of scanning can only bring about a change.

Ch Vidyasagar Rao, former Union minister, advised chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, who was the chief guest, to change the nomenclature of 'nurse' to 'assistant to doctor' and set up a high-level committee involving NGOs, government officials and MLAs to devise strategies to arrest female foeticide. In response, the CM said he would consult the nurse associations on the issue.