Post Arvi racket, abortion clinics in six districts under scrutiny

Nagpur: The illegal abortion racket unearthed in Arvi taluka of Wardha has prompted the health department to bring all the clinics having ultrasonography (USG) machines in six districts of eastern Vidarbha under its scrutiny.
The exercise is aimed at ensuring that the cases of medical termination of pregnancy or abortion and related medical assistance are conducted as per the norms of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act.In the recent past, two major abortion rackets in Arvi and one in Beed earlier had come to the fore.
Health services deputy director Dr Sanjay Jaiswal has written to the civil surgeons and health departments of the civic bodies of Nagpur, Wardha, Bhandara, Gondia, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli to inspect all the clinics having USG machines and covered under the PCPNDT Act. The authorities concerned have been urged to complete the inspections and furnish compliance reports within 10 days.
In Arvi, various violations of PCPNDT Act by the management of Kadam Hospital had come to fore during the probe. Police had claimed that relevant files were missing from the hospital and that no records regarding inspections at the hospital in the past year were found. Around 54 skeletal bones and 12 skulls of babies, a bag of blood and such evidence of rampant abortions were found at the hospital.
Dr Jaiswal, who is also monitoring the administrative inquiries by the special committee under PCPNDT Act in Wardha, said inspection of clinics with USG machines is routine practice but in the wake of the illegal abortion rackets, authorities are trying to ensure there are no gross violations.
Jaiswal said clinics under PCPNDT Act are supposed to be inspected every three months. “We have alerted the authorities concerned to complete inspections at the earliest if pending,” he said, adding that the exercise aims to update clinics’ records and ensure the norms are being duly followed.
Nagpur civil surgeon Dr Madhuri Thorat said the focus is on checking whether medical termination of pregnancies and the use of USG machines are being done as per the law. “Various aspects like checking of records, inquiring whether the staff is trained and declaration forms are being filed properly are being covered as per the guidelines,” said Dr Thorat.
Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) additional commissioner Ram Joshi said all the field officials of health wing have been instructed to inspect clinics as per Jaiswal’s letter. “NMC officials have started the inspection in all zones. Though the process is conducted every three to six months, a special drive is now being initiated,” said Joshi.