KASARGOD: The district administration has decided to strengthen awareness against sex determination during prenatal diagnosis in the wake of suspected incidents of fetal sex determination tests across the inter-state border. Health workers in Meencha, Badiadka and Paivalike, had complained of burgeoning numbers of prenatal diagnostics centres functioning in Karnataka, which is few kilometres away.
“In view of the alert, we had decided to strengthen the activities at various levels. Girls above the age of 16, physicians and people's’ representatives get awareness classes,” said district medical officer (DMO) Dr A.P. Dinesh Kumar. C. Harish Naik, a health volunteer in Paivalike, said many gullible women are visiting the private health clinics out of ignorance and social fear.
“In Karnataka, prenatal diagnostics clinics are mushrooming day by day targeting the women residing close to the border in Kasargod. Many here are staying in colonies where stigma towards girl child and other caste superstitions have a major sway. The hapless women succumb to the pressure of senior family members and visit the centres,” explained he.
But DMO said that he had not come across any specific case. “There were suggestions from different quarters that education to this effect had to be carried on. The same demand was reached before the district collector also,” he said. The staff at the health office would be given training in October and November for conducting the awareness.
