Gurugram sex ratio improves after March slump
After a steep decline in the sex ratio earlier this year, Gurugram has shown signs of recovery with the figure crossing the 900 mark for the first time in 2025. According to the district health department, the sex ratio in May stood at 917 girls per 1,000 boys — a marked improvement from 751 in March, which had sparked alarm across the administration, officials said. Gurugram sex ratio improves after March slump
Health department officials attributed the turnaround to intensified inspections, legal action, and awareness campaigns aimed at curbing gender-based sex selection. 'The declining sex ratio was a matter of serious concern. We intensified our inspections, especially after the March data. After taking action, the figures rose in April and May,' said Dr Alka Singh, chief medical officer, Gurugram.
Official records show the monthly sex ratio for 2025 as follows: January – 877, February – 850, March – 751, April – 907, and May – 917.
District authorities cracked down on illegal practices under the PCPNDT (Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques) Act. In one case, an ultrasound technician was arrested in a sting operation for disclosing the sex of a foetus. The centre was sealed, and action was taken against the accused, according to district health officials.
Dr Pradeep Kumar, deputy civil surgeon and PCPNDT nodal officer, said, 'We are taking help from decoy patients and using sting operations to catch repeat offenders. Our team conducts surprise inspections and follows up on every complaint.'
According to Kumar, licences of 66 ultrasound centres have been suspended or cancelled this year for non-compliance. Eleven raids have been conducted under the MTP (Medical Termination of Pregnancy) Act and two under the PCPNDT Act.
To further tighten surveillance, a district-level task force has been constituted under the Deputy Commissioner. It works in coordination with the police, health, and legal departments to monitor ultrasound centres and prevent sex determination. 'We organised awareness camps in areas where the sex ratio had fallen below 750. So far, we have conducted 18 such camps. We also informed the public about a ₹ 1 lakh reward for credible information on illegal sex determination,' said Kumar.
Gurugram's annual sex ratio was 899 in 2024, 928 in 2023, 922 in 2022, and a low of 914 in 2021. The figures stood at 917 and 923 in 2020 and 2019, respectively. 'We are hopeful that this trend will continue, but awareness among families and community participation are equally important to bring about the changes,' Kumar added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Kerala High Court dismisses petitions against Kerala Clinical Establishments Act
A single bench of the Kerala High Court on Monday (June 23, 2025) dismissed six petitions filed by the Kerala Private Hospitals' Association, Indian Medical Association, and others against various provisions of the Kerala Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulations) Act 2018, which they claimed were arbitrary and a violation of the Constitution. In dismissing the petitions, the court ruled that nothing in the Act seemed arbitrary or a violation of the Constitution, as the Act clearly gives opportunities for the clinical establishments for a hearing before the authorities can take dire steps against a clinical establishment, such as the cancellation of registration. The judgment is a vindication of the stance adopted by the Kerala government that the sole intention of the KCE Act was to safeguard public health and patient safety and that the Act was enacted to promote ethical standards in clinical practice by introducing a regulatory framework that provides for transparency. The State argued that when private interest is pitted against public interest, particularly in the field of public health, the larger public interest is the one that should be considered. The mere 'possibility' of abuse/misuse of a statutory provision is not to be a guiding factor in considering the constitutionality of a statute. End of 7-year legal battle While the petitioners are free to go on appeal, the judgment marks the end of the seven-year legal battle that the private sector clinical establishments have been waging against the State, ever since it attempted to bring in regulations in the private health sector through the KCE Act in 2018. Kerala Private Hospital Association and others were primarily challenging the Sections 16(2) and 39(2) and (3) of the Act as arbitrary and violative of Part III of the Constitution. They had also sought for a declaration that they are not liable to furnish the data required under the Act and its Rules. Section 16(2) of KCE Act states that no clinical establishment would be allowed to operate without registration. Section 39(2) and (3) is about displaying the rate and 'package rate' charged for various treatments, procedures and facilities Indian Dental Association, Kerala Private Clinics Association and the Indian Medical Association had raised similar contentions The court opined that there is no 'uncanalised power' bestowed on the Authority (Kerala State Council for Clinical Establishments) with respect to the cancellation of registration of a hospital, as argued by the petitioners because the said proviso (sub section 3 of Section 25) is evoked only under extraordinary circumstances. Even then, there was always the provision for hospitals to approach the appellate authority The government has all along tried its best to take the private sector clinical establishments into confidence in implementing the KCE, the single most public health measure which was expected to bring in more transparency and accountability in the functioning of clinical establishments in both public and private sector. 'The Act merely insisted on mandatory registration, maintenance of certain minimum standards and that the hospitals display their rates for various procedures openly, so that patients would have the choice of choosing suitable options. However, it would seem that the private sector was worried about the government scrutiny on many unhealthy practices in the sector, including performance of surgical or cosmetic procedures in clinics without adequate facilities or the employment of unqualified personnel in small clinics and labs,' a Health official said. He pointed out that quackery was rampant in Kerala, with many unqualified persons performing cosmetic procedures like hair transplants or PRP (platelet-rich plasma injections to tackle hair loss). Home care is another area which is mushrooming in Kerala, often without mandatory registrations. There are also many clinical establishments employing doctors or technicians, whose qualifications might not be the recognised ones. 'This judgment is a milestone in our attempt to implement KCE Act because most of the private hospitals who are members of the KPHA have been resisting even registration under the Act. In 2019, KPHA secured an interim order that no coercive action be taken by the State against private hospitals with regard to the Act. Now that the legal hurdles have been removed, the Government can focus on the proper implementation of the Act,' J.S. Sanil Kumar, secretary of the Kerala State Council for Clinical Establishments said.
Hindustan Times
6 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Gurugram sex ratio improves after March slump
After a steep decline in the sex ratio earlier this year, Gurugram has shown signs of recovery with the figure crossing the 900 mark for the first time in 2025. According to the district health department, the sex ratio in May stood at 917 girls per 1,000 boys — a marked improvement from 751 in March, which had sparked alarm across the administration, officials said. Gurugram sex ratio improves after March slump Health department officials attributed the turnaround to intensified inspections, legal action, and awareness campaigns aimed at curbing gender-based sex selection. 'The declining sex ratio was a matter of serious concern. We intensified our inspections, especially after the March data. After taking action, the figures rose in April and May,' said Dr Alka Singh, chief medical officer, Gurugram. Official records show the monthly sex ratio for 2025 as follows: January – 877, February – 850, March – 751, April – 907, and May – 917. District authorities cracked down on illegal practices under the PCPNDT (Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques) Act. In one case, an ultrasound technician was arrested in a sting operation for disclosing the sex of a foetus. The centre was sealed, and action was taken against the accused, according to district health officials. Dr Pradeep Kumar, deputy civil surgeon and PCPNDT nodal officer, said, 'We are taking help from decoy patients and using sting operations to catch repeat offenders. Our team conducts surprise inspections and follows up on every complaint.' According to Kumar, licences of 66 ultrasound centres have been suspended or cancelled this year for non-compliance. Eleven raids have been conducted under the MTP (Medical Termination of Pregnancy) Act and two under the PCPNDT Act. To further tighten surveillance, a district-level task force has been constituted under the Deputy Commissioner. It works in coordination with the police, health, and legal departments to monitor ultrasound centres and prevent sex determination. 'We organised awareness camps in areas where the sex ratio had fallen below 750. So far, we have conducted 18 such camps. We also informed the public about a ₹ 1 lakh reward for credible information on illegal sex determination,' said Kumar. Gurugram's annual sex ratio was 899 in 2024, 928 in 2023, 922 in 2022, and a low of 914 in 2021. The figures stood at 917 and 923 in 2020 and 2019, respectively. 'We are hopeful that this trend will continue, but awareness among families and community participation are equally important to bring about the changes,' Kumar added.
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
High court junks plea against provisions of Kerala Clinical Establishments Act
Kochi: High court on Monday dismissed the petitions filed by the Kerala Private Hospital Association and others challenging the constitutional validity of certain provisions of the Kerala Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2018 — particularly the mandate to display the fee structure and package rates for the services and facilities offered by hospitals. Justice Harisankar V Menon dismissed the petitions while granting liberty to the petitioners to approach the state govt, citing the practical difficulties faced by them. The Court further observed that it is for the govt to consider such practical difficulties and adopt remedial measures as it deems fit, taking into account the interests of both clinical establishments and the beneficiaries of the statute. The petitioners raised several contentions against the Act, including that it confers unbridled powers on the Authority under the statute to suspend or cancel the registration of clinical establishments in cases of 'imminent danger to public health'—without defining what constitutes imminent danger. They also apprehended that minor negligence in one speciality wing could result in suspension or cancellation of the registration of the entire hospital. Another contention was against Section 19(11) of the Act, which mandates that the results of inspections be made available to the public, arguing that this could lead to unforeseen consequences. On the other hand, the state govt contended that the Act seeks to promote ethical standards in clinical practice by introducing a regulatory framework aimed at ensuring transparency. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Bohmte: GEERS sucht 700 Testhörer für Hörgeräte ohne Zuzahlung GEERS Undo The primary objective of the statute, the govt submitted, is to safeguard public health and patient safety. Upon examining the facts of the case, the Court held that utmost care had been taken while conferring powers for cancellation of registration on the Authority. It also acknowledged that the petitioners had raised valid concerns regarding practical difficulties. However, the Court concluded that mere allegations of arbitrariness are not sufficient grounds to declare a statute unconstitutional. Accordingly, the Bench dismissed the petitions.
