'Health workers' role pivotal to prevent pre-natal sex determination'

NAGPUR: State Health Society Research Centre (SHSRC) and State Family Welfare Bureau (SFWB) together organized a workshop to train government health care providers working in the Nagpur circle in the various aspects of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PCPNDT) Act. Representatives from various primary health centres, district, rural and district hospitals were informed about the need to amend existing laws and the role that they can play as local health authorities.
Dr SC Gupta, additional director of SFWB and executive director of SHSRC, said that there has been a continuous decline in the number of girls in the 0-6 age group even in the tribal areas. "This is a scary trend as tribals have traditionally been known to be matriarchal societies," he said. He pointed out the irony that despite having the highest number of authorities responsible towards this end at all levels -- from rural to municipal and civil surgeon to collectors -- Maharashtra has registered a steep rise in cases of female foeticide. "This has led to over 5 lakh 'missing girls' in the last ten years in our state," he said.
Uday Warunjikar, an advocate in Bombay High Court, informed the participants about the legal aspect of their job after implementation of PCPNDT Act. Encouraging health workers to carry out their independent investigations, he told them to follow law very carefully while doing so. "People have found ways of misusing the new technology. We as implementers of the law also need to be smart enough to find ways of using those very technical advancements in our favour," he told them.
BOX 1:
Register complaints online or on phone
Dr SC Gupta, additional director of SFWB, informed that anybody could register complaints against those engaged in practices of sex selection of the foetus. This could be done on the board's website amchimulgi.gov.in or on the toll free number 18800234475. After being notified on either of the media, the authorities concerned would be informed within 24 hours and action would be taken against the erring individual within a week from the registration of the complaint.
BOX 2:
Every maternal death being reviewed
Doctors have long maintained that most maternal deaths are preventable. Few of us know, however, that since last year, the government is trying to review the reason behind the every maternal death. Highly placed officials like the chief executive of zilla parishads and municipal officers are supposed to inquire into such cases. No punitive action is taken even if some one is found at fault as these reviews are meant for survey purposes only.
BOX 3:
Good scheme for new mothers
Several schemes of the government fail to fulfill their objectives as not many people are aware of them. One such scheme is Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK). This programme entitles all mothers to free services and treatment after 42 days of conception, and similar provisions for the child for 30 days after his birth at government health institutions in both rural and urban areas. Since 67% of maternal deaths are in the first ten days of birth, this gives them free access to all services including transport, medical tests and a healthy diet for 7 days after giving birth. A woman who is denied any of these services can lodge a complaint with the local health authorities.