Odisha's Ganjam district has joined hands with neighbouring Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh for joint raids on illegal ultrasound clinics where sex-determination tests are conducted, officials said on Friday.
The decision was taken at a meeting, which was attended by health officials of the two districts, they said. "The meeting has also decided that a task force will be formed for surprise inspections of ultrasound centers, identification of middlemen indulged in sex determination of fetus, and initiation of legal action," said Uma Shankar Mishra, the chief district medical officer of Ganjam.
It was the first such meeting on how to contain the illegal sex-determination tests and improve the sex ratio in the two districts, he said. Another meeting at the collector level will be held soon to formulate the modalities to contain the sex determination tests in the two districts, he added.
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The aim is to prevent the misuse of ultrasound machines and improve the sex ratio in the two districts, Mishra said. According to the National Family Health Survey-5, the sex ratio at birth was 855 in Ganjam district. In Srikakulam district as well, the sex ratio at birth was less than 900, officials said.
It was also decided to create more awareness among people about the importance of a girl child, besides early registration of pregnant women and tracking of second pregnancy of women who already have a girl child, they said.
