Prevent unauthorised use of ultrasound scanning machines: Chittoor Collector Sagili Shanmohan

Chittoor: Taking action against illegal ultrasound scanning centres and quacks, the Chittoor Collector Sagili Shanmohan directed the officials of the Medical and Health Department on Saturday to increase their surveillance on fraudulent medical practices and scanning centres along the villages and towns bordering Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. 

A meeting on the effective implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994, (PC&PNDT Act) was held at Chittoor, which saw the presence of medical officers from Tiruvallur, Tirupattur, Vellore, and Krishnagiri from Tamil Nadu and Kolar in Karnataka. 

The officers stated that a number of quacks had shifted their operations to the Chittoor district after they prohibited medical practice by quacks in their States.  

They also pointed out the vulnerable conditions of the people living in the border villages and towns due to which they go to quacks resulting in severe health complications and risks. The collector directed the medical and paramedical staff to continue checking regions which are prone to illegal use of scanning machines and sex-selective pregnancy terminations. 

Further, he said that they would be taking measures to prevent the unauthorised use of ultrasound scanning machines in the district. He also directed the officials to prevent misuse of drugs in abortions, reports the Hindu. 

According to District Immunization Officer P Ravi Raju, there were 49 scanning centres in Chittoor district. He pointed out the already laid instructions regarding the usage of machines by radiologists and trained medical professionals only. He said, "All the existing scanning machines and any newly purchased ones should be brought to the notice of the Medical and Health Department authorities." 

Further, all the registered medical practitioners in the district would be undergoing an awareness section on PC&PNDT Act based on the directions given by the collector to the District Medical and Health Officer. 

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