Sex determination, illegal abortions go unchecked in erstwhile Warangal

After learning about incidents of female foeticide in some private hospitals, officials inspected two hospitals at Nekkonda on December 7, and reportedly found that a hospital run by a BAMS doctor, had no valid licence.

Warangal/Hanamkonda: Illegal sex determination tests and abortions are allegedly going unchecked in the erstwhile Warangal district, particularly in tribal pockets.

After learning about incidents of female foeticide in some private hospitals, officials of the District Medical and Health Department, Narsampet, inspected two hospitals at Nekkonda on December 7, and reportedly found that a hospital run by a BAMS doctor, had no valid licence.

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“This 20-bedded hospital is notorious for sex determination tests and illegal abortions in this area. It is being run in violation of many rules,” an official said. The hospital was doing ‘business’ by targeting married women who had a daughter as their first child, and young women who got pregnant out of wedlock, and was conducting sex determination tests and abortions. It is learnt that pregnant women from even Hyderabad were coming for sex determination tests and abortions at this hospital.

“The RMPs and PMPs in villages are the sources of income for this clinic which is always busy with abortions. They bring pregnant women and get commissions from the hospital,” a villager said.
It is said that the hospital was collecting Rs.8,000 to Rs.10,000 for a sex determination test and Rs.25,000 to Rs.30,000 for an abortion.

Sources said the District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) , Warangal, had decided to conduct raids on scanning centres and unauthorised hospitals.

Meanwhile, Hanamkonda DMHO Dr Sambasiva Rao said they were going to increase vigil on scanning centres under Hanamkonda jurisdiction to prevent the sex determination tests and take action as per the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994, which is aimed at stopping female foeticide.

However, Dr Suresh Devath, a tribal social activist, said tribal people in many thandas were showing discrimination against the girl child.