Deputy Commissioner, Ramesh Kumar today chaired a meeting of District Advisory Committee (DAC) on Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC&PNDT) Act.The DC, who is also Chairman District Advisory Committee, directed the committee to create awareness among the ASHA workers, Health workers and people regarding the Act through workshops, awareness camps and other promotional activities.The meeting was informed that a total of 117 Ultrasound Centres were registered in the District out of which 99 centres were functional, registration of 15 centres were cancelled whereas registration of 3 centres were suspended for non-compliance of the Act. It was further informed that 1 centre was sealed by the District Appropriate Authority.Taking strong note of low sex ratio, the DC asked the committee members to conduct surprise visits and monitor the functioning of the ultrasound centres to ensure that the centres are running as per the Act. “Conduct surprise visits in centres with Ultrasound facilities and ensure coordination with district administration so that the act is implemented in its true spirit”, said DC.The DC asked the committee to take necessary action in case of complaints filed against diagnostic centres for non-compliance of the Act and cancel the registrations with due public notice to be issued for general awareness that may desist people from visiting these centres.“Any illegal act will not be tolerated and strict action will be taken against all the errants, either involved in sex determination or non-maintenance of records”, the DC affirmed.
The DC directed for proper inspection of Ultrasound centres seeking the approval for fresh registration and renewal and further instructed for maintaining registers and medical records in the centres. He asked for conducting regular meeting of the committee to strengthen the implementation of the Act and monitoring the working of Ultrasound centres.The DC also took stock of the preparations for upcoming National Deworming Day on August 10 and called for organizing mass deworming programme with an aim to reach all children at schools and anganwadis with the deworming treatment. Any child not dewormed on National Deworming Day due to absenteeism or sickness, will be dewormed on mop-up day, i.e August 17, he maintained.He further asked for spreading awareness regarding behaviour change practices in terms of cleanliness, hygiene, use of toilets and washing hands to reduce incidents of re-infection.Pertinently, the National Deworming Day is a single fixed-day approach to treating intestinal worm infections in all children aged 1- 19 years, and is held on 10 February and 10 August each year.The Meeting was attended by Chief Medical Officer, Dr Sanjay Turki, Sr Consultant Dr Atula Gupta, Medical Superintendent, Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar, Dr A D S Manhas, Senior Pediatrician Dr K R Sangra, DSWO Ranbireshwar Singh, YIO Information department Imran Rashid and other members of the committee.