SRINAGAR, MAY 06 (KNS): National Health Mission, J&K organised a day long orientation workshop on effective implementation of Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC&PNDT), Act here today.

Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Bhupinder Kumar was the Chief Guest on the occasion.

Mission Director, NHM, J&K, Ayushi Sudan; Director Health Services, Kashmir, Chief Medical Officers, Medical Superintendents, Block Medical Officers, Radiologists, Gynaecologists and Officers from State Health Society, NHM, J&K and Department of Health & Medical Education and large number of medical officers were also present on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, the Secretary emphasised upon the importance of effective implementation of PC&PNDT Act. He said that the child sex ratio is an important indicator of the social health of any society and any kind of decline in the sex ratio can be detrimental for the demography of the region which can ultimately imbalance the whole system of the mankind.

The Secretary highlighted that the government is serious and firm enough for taking any measures required for balancing the Sex ratio and said that to usher a healthy child sex ratio and to curtail the menace of sex selection , the implementation mechanism of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994 needs to be strengthened at all levels. He stressed upon the fact that a robust mechanism is required to curb all illegal practices happening during violation of PC&PNDT, Act.

 Bhupinder Kumar also stressed upon the fact that regular meetings of regulatory bodies and committees should be conducted at all levels besides regular inspections and surprise visits should be carried by the appropriate authorities at each level to curb the illegal activities. He also said that the religious leaders, schools, colleges and PRIs should be involved for spreading awareness about the female foeticide and its consequences.

Speaking on the occasion, Mission Director, NHM, J&K, Ayushi Sudan informed that a defined Regulatory Mechanism has been established under the PC&PNDT Act and regulatory bodies/committees have been constituted at all levels like UT Supervisory Board, UT Level Task Force, Divisional Advisory Committees, Divisional Appropriate Authorities as well as District Appropriate Authorities to strengthen the mechanism of implementation of PC&PNDT, Act. She underlined that there is a dire need that all the stake holders work in a coordinated manner for effect implementation of the Act.

Consultant UNFPA, Advocate, Varsha Deshpande; Lead Consultant, Gender and PNDT, MoHF&W, GoI, Ifat Hamid and Associate Professor, GMC Srinagar, Dr. Aijaz Ahmad Hakim, were resource persons during the orientation workshop who gave detailed power point presentations on different sections of PC&PNDT, Act, rules, maintenance of record, powers of search, seize as well as spoke other important aspects of the Act.(KNS)