Bengaluru: After multiple raids across the state, the Karnataka health department has shut down 34 scanning centres on charges of illegal activities like revealing the gender of the foetus. Action has also been initiated against 156 quacks found during the raids, officials aware of the matter said on Friday.
The action came after the police busted in October a racket that conducted over 900 abortions within three years . The health department had ordered all district health officers and community health officers to conduct inspections in all the scanning centres and clinics to ascertain their compliance with the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act.
In the investigation that followed, one scanning centre in Hoskote was closed in December for conducting illegal abortions and the government had sought a report on similar cases.
After checking 5,083 scanning centres and nursing homes over a month, health department officials submitted their comprehensive report to the government. Among the findings were 156 identified quacks, predominantly concentrated in rural areas, prompting legal action against these illegal medical practitioners.
The report confirmed the closure of 34 scanning centres due to violations, with notices issued to 429 centres for discrepancies. The highest closures were reported form Bengaluru Rural district.
{{/usCountry}}The report confirmed the closure of 34 scanning centres due to violations, with notices issued to 429 centres for discrepancies. The highest closures were reported form Bengaluru Rural district.
{{/usCountry}}Randeep D, commissioner, health and family welfare department, said the large-scale non-compliance was uncovered during the inspections. “While some centres lacked essential registries and patient details, others failed to collect required documents, raising suspicions about their activities. These centres were closed,” he told reporters .
The inspection report also revealed that 429 scanning centres received notices for minor violations. “Furthermore, 156 fake doctors were identified during the inspections, leading to legal action against them under the Karnataka Private Medical Establishment (KPME) Act. Authorities are currently verifying their licences with the Medical Council of India,” Randeep said.
“Despite having nearly 6,000 registered scanning centres in the state, 5,083 are operational. District officials have completed inspections to identify deviations from the law, and a state task force has been established to combat female foeticide. Going forward, regular inspections will be conducted to monitor the activities of these health facilities and ensure compliance with the law,” said the commissioner.
In December, the Karnataka government had transferred the investigation of a sex-determination and illegal abortion racket to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The decision came after chief minister Siddaramaiah held a meeting with home minister G Parameshwara.
The illegal operations in the state came to light on October 15 during a routine vehicle checking drive by the Byappanahalli police, who found a pregnant woman with a few men. During the investigation, the police found that the accused used to take pregnant women to Mandya for gender determination of the foetus and it was aborted in a few clinics in Mysuru. After the racket was exposed, the state government ordered the CID to probe the case. Three doctors and over 10 people have been arrested in the case so far