IMA Chief Advocates for Sex Detection of Foetuses to Safeguard Girl Children

In a recent dialogue with media editors, Dr. R V Asokan, the chief of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), expressed concerns over the effectiveness of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC-PNDT) Act in combating female foeticide. He argued that legislative measures alone might not suffice to address deeply rooted social evils, suggesting an alternative approach that involves detecting the sex of the foetus to ensure the protection of the girl child.

Dr. Asokan criticized the current PC-PNDT Act as "completely warped, short-sighted, and NGO driven," highlighting the undue pressure it places on medical professionals. According to him, the act's stringent regulations, including the immobility of ultrasound machines and the penalization for not filling out 'Form F' correctly, equate minor administrative errors with severe offences like sex determination tests. This has led to significant challenges for doctors, with one recent case in Coimbatore where a gynaecologist faced a three-year conviction for improper documentation.

The IMA is actively working on a document aimed at revamping the existing PC-PNDT Act. This initiative seeks to provoke discussions within the medical community and potentially even in the Supreme Court, aiming for a more practical solution to prevent female foeticide without criminalizing doctors for technical lapses.

Dr. Asokan emphasized that while there is unanimous agreement on the importance of saving the girl child, presuming all doctors to be culpable is unjust. He pointed out that current regulations are "very unfair" and have placed an unnecessary burden on medical practitioners. The IMA's proposal includes allowing sex determination for safeguarding female foetuses, coupled with stringent monitoring to ensure their safety post-birth.

The IMA chief's remarks shed light on the complexities of addressing female foeticide in India. By suggesting a shift in strategy from prohibition to protection, Dr. Asokan advocates for a nuanced approach that addresses both medical and social dimensions of this issue. The IMA's efforts to revisit and potentially reform the PC-PNDT Act underscore the need for policies that are both effective in achieving their social objectives and practical for medical professionals to implement.