IMA writes to PM requesting the Government to bring in amendments in PCPNDT Act




Indian Medical Association (IMA) has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting the Government to bring in amendments in the PCPNDT Act, which is meant to prevent female foeticide, to make it more “user-friendly” and to retain ultrasound scan as the “cheapest, most accessible and important medical diagnostic tool”.
Expressing concerns about the declining sex ratio in India, IMA said it fully endorses the clause 23 of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, which awards imprisonment and financial punishment on Doctors who abet female foeticide.
“At the same time, IMA is against the clause 25 which awards the same punishment on Doctors for non-conformity of the Act in terms of not-wearing the badge/apron, not displaying the registration certificate, not keeping copy of the PCPNDT Act in the diagnostic centre and deficiencies in the filling of the various forms,” said IMA.
“IMA requests the government to amend the clause 25 so that only fine is given for minor non-conformities and non-compliance,” said the letter signed by Dr A Marthanda Pillai, national president and Dr KK Aggarwal, honorary secretary general, Indian Medical Association.
“Already more than 4000 cases exist in this regard and many courts have ordered imprisonment of doctors for minor non-conformity. Thousands of ultrasound scan machines have been confiscated and diagnostic centres closed down,” according to the medical association.
“Ultrasonography has now become the cheapest and easily available, cost effective and user friendly diagnostic tool right from trauma and emergency management to every segment of medical diagnosis and care. Putting undue restrictions on the use of ultrasound could only be counter productive and it will definitely cause immense damage to healthcare,” the letter concluded.

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