Collector expresses concern over PCPNDCT Act violations in Chittoor district
Collector Sumit Kumar on Saturday expressed serious concern over the Medical and Health department's failure to check illegal sex-determination tests in Chittoor district, which surfaced a couple of days ago, leading to the arrest of five persons.
Addressing the District-Level Advisory Committee meeting on the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act at the Collectorate, Mr. Sumit Kumar criticised the Medical and Health department officials for their lack of coordination and failure to monitor the criminal activity at the grassroots level.
District Medical and Health Officer Sudha Rani, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) project officer Venkateswari, and senior officials from the wings of Immunisation, Drugs, and Women Police took part in the meeting.
The Collector questioned the officials as to how the reports of illegal sex-determination tests were not reaching them. He observed that it was incompetent on the part of the officials that they could not carry out any field-level awareness camps through the paramedical staff and Anganwadi staff regarding the health status of pregnant women. 'It is unfortunate that, though ASHA and ANM workers operate at the community level, they were unaware of mothers with two or more daughters conceiving again. This is a critical indicator for potential sex-selective practices,' Mr. Sumit Kumar said.
Referring to the poor sex ratio in Chittoor, with only 947 females per 1,000 males as per the latest census, the Collector observed that the situation was very alarming when compared to other districts. 'If this continues, the girl-child population would be at a high risk. Saving the girl child is our collective responsibility,' the Collector said. Sumit Kumar highlighted that the ICDS and the DM&HO should conduct joint review meetings with field staff of both the departments and bridge the gap in coordination.
The Collector said that the mandals of Nagari, Vijayapuram, Nindra, Karveti Nagaram, Palamaner, Punganur, and V. Kota, which share porous borders with Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, were prone to higher instances of illegal abortions in private hospitals.
He instructed the Drugs Department personnel to mount surveillance on the unauthorised clinics and medical stores selling drugs without prescriptions. 'Maintain a proper record of all the scanning centres and equipments available with them, along with daily reports of the patients visiting the units,' Mr. Sumit Kumar directed the police officials.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
US abortion rates rise three years after Dobbs' new ruling on Roe vs Wade, here's why
Three years after the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade , the U.S. finds itself at the epicenter of a new abortion battle, one that's defying expectations and reshaping the strategies of both pro-life and pro-choice movements. Despite the pro-life victory in the courts, abortion rates have not dropped; instead, they've remained steady or even increased, raising provocative questions about the true impact of legal bans and the future of reproductive rights in America. The next big fight for abortion opponents is the organisation Planned Parenthood, the nation's leading provider and advocate of affordable sexual and reproductive health care, operates nearly 600 health centers across the country. The unexpected rise: Abortion rates defy pro-life predictions Contrary to pro-life hopes, the number of abortions in the U.S. has not declined post-Dobbs. Recent data from the Charlotte Lozier Institute shows over 1.1 million abortions occurred from July 2023 to June 2024, matching or exceeding pre-Dobbs levels. This estimate, based on the most comprehensive aggregation of clinic, hospital, and virtual provider data, highlights a resilient demand for abortion services even as legal landscapes shift. Researchers caution, however, that the true number may be even higher, as the U.S. lacks a federal abortion reporting mandate and medication abortions, especially those facilitated by international mail-order, are difficult to track with precision. The new battlefield: Pills, politics and laws The unexpected resilience of abortion rates is largely driven by the rise of medication abortion . With the FDA's approval for mail-order mifepristone, telehealth and shield laws have enabled access even in states with bans, and up to 20% of abortions in 2024 were provided via telehealth under such protections. This has allowed patients to bypass state restrictions, fueling what pro-life leaders call a "direct assault on the sovereignty of states." Live Events Pro-life advocates are now focusing on new priorities in response to these trends. Their big challenges, they say, include weakening Planned Parenthood, by targeting its funding streams. Restricting access to abortion pills remains a top objective, as does investing in supportive political candidates and ballot initiatives. Some pro-life lawmakers believe there is a strong chance of defunding Planned Parenthood through a broader reconciliation bill in Congress, which would block Medicaid funds for organizations performing abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or threats to the mother's life. Planned Parenthood, responding to these legislative moves, warned in a statement after the bill passed the Republican-led House in May that such provisions would cut off funding for a range of services beyond abortion, potentially forcing about 200 of its 600 locations to close. "If this bill passes, people will lose access to essential, often lifesaving care — cancer screenings, birth control, STI testing, and yes, abortion," the organization said. Meanwhile, other pro-choice groups are leveraging "shield laws" and ballot initiatives to protect and expand access, turning some states into abortion havens while others enforce near-total bans.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
RTI reply flags rise in teen pregnancies in Madurai PHCs
Madurai: As many as 1,127 teen pregnancies below 18 years of age were recorded in 2023 and 2024 in primary health centres (PHCs) in Madurai district, according to the latest response received by a health activist to a Right to Information (RTI) Act petition. The reply received by activist A Veronica Mary said 698 teen pregnancies were recorded last year alone. It showed that the most teen pregnancies during the period of query were reported in Saptur, T Pudupatti, and Viradhanur. "Any teen pregnancy under 18 years of age by default is a crime, be it through child marriage, sexual assault, or love affair. While some cases are being reported through the childline 1098, it is also the duty of the health department staff to report all such cases," she said. She said some teen pregnancies (below 18 years of age) are going unreported to police and other departments due to ambiguous claims by parents about the child's age. This should be looked into. Health officials maintained that in case of minors, all teen pregnancy cases are reported by doctors to police and social welfare department, as per protocol. Activists have called for a comprehensive plan to create awareness among teen girls and boys and better surveillance to bring down the numbers. K Saravanan, president, Peace Club, who has organised awareness programmes about child sexual abuse, said teen pregnancies are part of a larger issue of parental negligence. "Teen pregnancies are more prevalent in communities and areas where parents are poor economically and are often absent in their children's lives. Even if they are present, some of them may be abusive towards their spouses. Hence, children isolate themselves and engage in love affairs for attention without knowing the consequences," he said. He said teachers can play a positive role in the lives of such children and watch out for signs and get them help. P Premalatha, chairperson, child welfare committee (CWC), Madurai, urged the public to come forward to alert and report if they know of any case of child marriage or child abuse. "In case of a minor being pregnant, we counsel the child and parents and support them in getting abortion if possible or have the child born and surrendered. Safety and security is important for the teen in such a stressful situation," she said.
The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
Global recognition for Karnataka's Tobacco Control Cell
Karnataka's State Tobacco Control Cell has been honoured by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for excellence in tobacco control in the South-East Asia region. Each year, the WHO recognises and felicitates the best performing States in the South-East Asia region for their exemplary efforts in tobacco control. Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao received the award from WHO representatives in Bengaluru on Saturday. COTPA amendment Tightening tobacco control laws, the Karnataka government last month notified major amendments to the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, on the occasion of the World No Tobacco Day observed on May 31. The amendments — through which the maximum fine for violations under tobacco control laws has been increased from ₹200 to ₹1,000, and the legal age for purchasing tobacco products been raised from 18 to 20 years — were approved by President Droupadi Murmu on May 23. The amended Act — the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) (Karnataka Amendment) Act, 2024 — was published in the Karnataka Gazette on May 30.
