Latest news with #PCPNDT
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Kakinada IVF clinic registration suspended over violations
District Collector and Chairman, District Advisory Committee on the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) (PCPNDT) Act, Sagili Shan Mohan, on Wednesday suspended the registration of US Women & Fertility Clinic, which is the Kakinada branch of Srushti IVF Centre (Hyderabad). The probe into the fertility centre began after a couple from Kakinada lodged a complaint that they were allegedly cheated by the clinic management of ₹6 lakhs for IVF services. Mr. Shan Mohan said: 'The probe has confirmed that the US Women & Fertility Clinic has not been registered under The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act 2021, apart from many violations pertaining to IVF treatment and commercial surrogacy practices.' The District Medical and Health authorities have been directed to initiate further action against the management of the fertility clinic.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Health
- Indian Express
IVF and gender bias: Why are we still choosing boys?
Dr Rhythm Bhalla A well-off, educated couple from Canada walked into my clinic last week, seeking consultation for in-vitro fertilization (IVF). 'After ten years of marriage, we've been yearning for a child and would value your guidance,' the wife said. It was a standard conversation—until she quietly added, 'I would like a male child.' Her husband, though slightly hesitant, nodded in agreement. As a gynecologist, such requests are, unfortunately, not rare. IVF, while a medical marvel offering hope to countless childless couples, has also opened the door to something far more problematic: sex selection. It prompts a painful question—why this persistent preference for boys? From the operating table to the boardroom, women have proved themselves over and over. Whether it is medicine, law, aviation, science, or governance, women are thriving. They run countries, lead corporations, and redefine success across every domain. Yet, a slice of society continues to believe that a male child holds higher value—a belief not just outdated but dangerous. In the Indian context, this preference has deep cultural roots. Traditionally, lineage and inheritance have been perceived as the domain of the male child. Whether it's lighting the funeral pyre or passing down the family name and business, the responsibility has always been reserved for sons. 'A father cannot exist without a mother,' I remind my patients, yet many still hesitate to envision a daughter performing these roles. Underpinning these decisions are centuries-old expectations and pressures. Indian women are often burdened—silently or overtly—with the expectation of giving birth to a boy. I've seen couples devastated by the birth of a second girl. I've met women emotionally blackmailed—threatened with abandonment or divorce—because they failed to provide a 'male heir.' And I've had educated, affluent couples ask for male sex selection in IVF simply to appease family elders with ideas of inheritance and legacy. To such couples, I ask: Why not a girl? Can't she lead your legacy, inherit your business, care for aging parents, and bring the same joy, prosperity, and pride? Yet, most often, my questions are met with awkward chuckles and patronizing smiles. We remain shackled by beliefs that a male child is central to carrying forward the family line—beliefs that desperately need to change. Denied legal sex selection in India, many such couples head to international clinics in Dubai, Thailand, or Singapore, where the practice is not illegal, thus legitimizing their biased preferences. But regardless of venue or legality, the problematic sentiment remains the same. Here in India, our laws are clear. The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, amended in 2003, strictly prohibits sex selection before or after conception. While illegal centers do continue to operate, the government has intensified scrutiny to curb this menace. However, this vigilance, while necessary, often leads to undue pressure on ethical doctors and innocent couples navigating the IVF journey the right way. Beyond legal enforcement, however, we must shift mindsets. Education and public awareness campaigns should aim to dismantle these damaging beliefs. Legal reform alone won't suffice; societal expectations, especially those that quietly coerce women into choosing male offspring, must be publicly challenged. Empowering women economically can create ripples of change. IVF may be a gift of science, but how we choose to use it reveals who we are as a society. Until every child, regardless of gender, is equally welcomed and celebrated, the work remains unfinished. (The writer is Dr. Rhythm Bhalla is a senior gynaecologist based in Chandigarh)
New Indian Express
29-07-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Surrogacy-trafficking ring: Health authorities find illegal equipment
HYDERABAD: The Health department on Monday said that a joint investigation was carried out by the Medical & Health Department, police, Task Force, DM&HO, RDO and other officials into the alleged irregularities at Srushti Fertility Centre. Search and seizure operations were conducted on Saturday (July 26), revealing that the clinic's Clinical Establishment Act and PCPNDT registrations had expired. It was also found that the centre was not registered under the National and State ART & Surrogacy Registry. Officials discovered unregistered ultrasound machines, an unlicenced pharmacy, a functional operation theatre with laparoscopic and IVF equipment and recent oocyte retrieval records along with liquid nitrogen tanks. The department said it is strictly enforcing the Assisted Reproductive Technology & Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021. So far, 381 ART clinics/banks, including surrogacy centres, have been registered across Telangana. It urged people to use services only at registered centres, including two ART clinics set up in government medical college hospitals.
The Hindu
10-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
DMHOs of all 33 Telangana districts sensitised on PCPNDT Act
A sensitisation and orientation workshop on the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994 was conducted at the Indian Institute of Health and Family Welfare (IIHFW), Hyderabad on Wednesday, July 9. The workshop was attended by District Medical and Health Officers (DMHOs) of all the 33 districts. The workshop was conducted by senior officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), including Dr. Padmini Kashyap, Deputy Commissioner, and Dr. Indranil Das, Director, PCPNDT. The training covered the importance of enhancing the value of the girl child in society, current status and monitoring indicators of PCPNDT Act implementation across the state, clarification of roles and responsibilities of Advisory Committees and Appropriate Authorities under the Act and Code of conduct, legal provisions, offences, and penalties under the PCPNDT framework, said a release.
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Time of India
Health dept cracks down on illegal trade of sonography machines
1 2 JAIPUR: Rajasthan health department on Wednesday busted a global racket involved in the illegal trade of portable foreign made sonography machines. Officials said these unregistered machines could be misused for female foeticide due to its small size and power backup. The department's pre-conception and pre-natal diagnostic techniques (PCPNDT) team arrested Amitabh Bhaduri, a gang-member Wednesday. He came to sell machines from Hoogly, West Bengal to Jaipur after he negotiated a deal for Rs 6.3 lakh. Officials said they were tracking the online illegal sale of sonography machines for two months. "We asked one of the health department's employe to call the person selling the machines. The person agreed for a deal after we agreed to transfer Rs 15,000 online," said Devendra Chaudhary, joint director (Bikaner), health department. "He came to the city via train due to security reasons and briefly stayed in the waiting room of the station. We asked him to deliver the machine in Central Park where PCPNDT officials arrested him." A PCPNDT official said that upon interrogation, Bhaduri said he brought the machine from a person named Aditya Murarka of Life Plus Healthcare Private Limited, Kolkata. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Stap in de nieuwe Kia EV6. Ontvang jouw inruilvoorstel. Kia Meer informatie Undo Dr Amit Yadav, mission director of the National Health Mission, said that several others are involved in this trade and the machines are being sold up to Rs 10 lakh across the country. He added that local police and administration in Kolkata have been informed about this illegal racket and investigation is being pursued.
