Blaming that “cheap chinese models” of ultrasound machines are leading to illegal sex determination, the Union health ministry has asked the Central Board of Excise and Customs to formulate appropriate guidelines to regulate their proliferation across the country.
According to the recent letter to the board under ministry of finance, the influx and easy availability of chinese models of ultrasound machines have spurred their widespread misuse.
“There is an urgent need therefore to formulate appropriate policy guidelines to regulate their unhindered proliferation,” said the ministry’s letter.
The ministry has also suggested the customs to start inspections of imported machines by field formations of the customs department.
“These machines are cheaper and their easy entry to the country is leading to a lot of trouble in sex determination. A lot of ultrasound machines that have been sealed by the inspection teams are found to be chinese made. There is therefore required to regulate their proliferation,” said a senior official.
The Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (prohibition of sex selection) Act, 1994 prohibits sex selection in any form and also regulates ultrasound diagnostic procedures by registered centres.
Officials say that the action taken by customs will gain significance as the 2011 Census has revealed a sharp decline of 13 points in the child sex ration from 927 in 2001 to 914, with a discernible drop in both rural and urban areas.
“This reflects a grim picture of the status of the girl child in majority of the states and Uts.
The misuse of medical technology for illegal sex determination leading to female foeticide has become very widespeard,” added the official.
earlier the health minister had also written to the ministry of information and technology to block websites on sex-determination guidance.