89 hospitals in Delhi get notices over poor sex ratio

As many as 89 hospitals and nursing homes in the city that reported child sex ratio at birth of 800 girls for every 1,000 boys have been issued show cause notices to explain the reasons behind the skewed ratio.

As many as 89 hospitals and nursing homes in the city that reported child sex ratio at birth of 800 girls for every 1,000 boys have been issued show cause notices to explain the reasons behind the skewed ratio.

Delhi has a sex ratio of 896:1000. Though the government refused to reveal the names of the institutions as yet, it asserted that those found to be violating the rules regarding pre-natal, pre-conception diagnostics would “face action”.

“These hospitals and nursing homes had a sex ratio even lower than Delhi’s average. Some as low as 300 girls per 1,000 boys. It cannot be a coincidence. Something is definitely wrong and thus we have sent notices,” said Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain.

Jain said, of those institutions who have been given notices, one hospital reported only 24 girls of the 64 deliveries it conducted, another hospital had 75 girls of the 186 deliveries -- a sex ratio of 403 girls per 1,000 boys.

The sex ratio in one hospital was less than 300, in two it was between 300 and 400, seven hospitals had sex ratio between 400 and 500, 13 between 500 and 600, 27 between 600 and 700 and 39 between 700 and 800.

“The hospitals have to send their replies within 10 days. If proven guilty, apart from cancellation of licence, police cases will be registered against the medical institutions,” said Jain.

In the show cause notice, the hospitals have been asked the reason for the adverse sex ratio, whether they perform abortions and if not, whom do they refer their patients to for abortion.

The letter also asked them to tell whether the hospitals/nursing homes have been registered with the nursing home cell and Pre-conception, Pre-natal Diagnostic Technique (PCPNDT) cell of the government.