E-initiative to regulate Genetic Counselling Centres

Hyderabad, Aug 9 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Health and Family Welfare Minister S Chandrasekhar today launched an e-initiative, the first of its kind, to regulate Genetic Counselling Centres and prevent misuse of pre-natal diagnostic techniques for sex determination, leading to female foeticide.

The e-initiative would enable the administration to have a better control over Genetic Counselling Centres, he said while inaugurating the facility at a one-day workshop on Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Technique Act.

Observing that laws alone would not be sufficient to curb the evil social practice, the Minister called for a change in the people's mindset that ''a girl child is a blessing and not a burden.'' Thanks to the e-initiative, nursing homes and Genetic Counselling Centres would get the required clearances. They could get themselves registered by downloading the forms from the department's website, District Collector R V Chandravadan said, adding they can also lodge any complaint on it.

State Medical and Health Commissioner Anil Punetha said 2001 was a watershed year in the history of the state as the male-female sex ratio improved from then. At present, male-female sex ratio is 972 females per 1,000 males compared to 933 for 1,000 males a decade ago.

UNI