Question marks over crackdown on USG clinics

SYED ALI SAFVI

SRINAGAR, May 11: Even as the state government continues its crackdown on ultrasound clinics in the state, legal experts and J&K Private Diagnostic Centre Association have termed the clampdown as “illegal” and uncalled for.

Pertinently, the health department has so far sealed nearly 200 ultrasound clinics in Kashmir and Jammu for not adhering to PNDT Act besides not being registered with the concerned authorities.

However, J&K Private Diagnostic Centre Association belies the claims, saying that the health department’s crackdown against ultrasound clinics is “unauthorized”.
The health authorities have sealed the clinics for not having stipulated 500 square meters space. However, according to PNDT act, there is no mention of “500 square meters” space.

“USG clinics should have adequate space to accommodate USG scanner, printer, CVT, table and couch for the patient. The room should be large enough to allow trolley to be wheeled in the patient to be transferred to the couch,” reads the Act (Page no 28 (3) Para 1).

In complete contradiction to PNDT Act, the health department has issued direction that only those doctors can perform ultrasound, who possess post graduation degree in Radiology, feel members of the association.

According to the PNDT Act, even MBBS doctor having undergone training in ultra-sonography can perform the ultrasound.

“To uphold the standard quality of USG clinics the registration is given to those ultrasound centers who have either a well qualified radiologist performing these investigations, possessing DMRD or MD or DNB in radiology, or an MBBS doctor having sufficient experience and having undergone training in ultra-sonography,” reads the Act (Page no 28 (3b) Para 1).
Significantly, in Delhi any MBBS doctor, physician, gynaecologist, surgeon, neurologist, having six months training certificate from any recognized radiology department can apply for PNDT registration.

President of J&K Private Diagnostic Centers Association, Umar Iqbal, said that if the trained Sonologists can perform ultrasound in government run hospitals why not in private clinics.
“Even in SMHS hospital, most of the times house physicians / Assistant surgeons perform the USG,” he told Kashmir Times. “In health department, doctors mostly working as sonologists have not done even house job in radiology from any medical college. So, if an assistant surgeon can perform USG in the state’s premier hospital why not in private clinics.”
Umar termed it “injustice” and “unfortunate” to have unqualified people scanning the patients in state run hospitals and qualified doctors being stopped to conduct the tests in private clinics.

“Even the gynaecologists are being stopped from conducting the tests,” he added.
Umar said that in June 2006, acting on the directions of High Court, Directorate of Health Services gave registration to ultrasound clinics in the state. However, since 2009, the directorate not only refused new registration but also refused renewal of registrations.

“About 250 diagnostic centers have applied for registration and renewal of registration for USG, X-ray and laboratories. Surprisingly, only 20 have been registered for reasons best known to the authorities,” he added.

He said that in all the states of India, PNDT registration is given to the qualified clinics before the purchase of equipments but in Jammu and Kashmir, an NOC is required before the purchase of equipments and the PNDT registration is given in the second stage “which doubles the exercise for both the applicant and the department and making it a very lengthy process which is also not recommended in the PNDT regulation”.

“On one hand the state government is asking unemployed youth to generate employment in private sector and on the other the legally run clinics are being sealed,” he said.
Umar also shot a letter to chief minister, Omar Abdullah, ion May 7, 2011 urging him to take notice and initiate appropriate action at his end.

“An impression was created by concerned authorities in general public that ultra sound clinics were responsible for the illegal disclosure of sex determination. This is done at the behest of some misguided elements and vested interest,” the letter reads.

Meanwhile, a delegation of J&K Private Diagnostic Centre Association, led by its president, union minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah here.

“Being a doctor himself, he understood our problem and directed minister for medical education and minister for health to resolve the problem,” Umar said.

When contacted, minister of state for health, Javed Ahmad Dar, told Kashmir Times that the drive is aimed at eliminating the menace of pre-natal sex determination in most if the ultrasound clinics.

“According to the recent census the sex ratio in J&K has considerably dropped and government is very serious and concerned about it. The ongoing drive against ultrasound clinics is aimed at curbing the practice of sex determination,” he said. “Most of the ultrasound clinics have been found involved in SDT (sex determination test).”

The minister said that some of the diagnostic centres were running illegally.

“They (ultrasound units) were required to submit form ‘F’ after every month. However, they never bothered to submit it. Consequently, action was taken against them,” he said.
Stating that the closure of ultrasound clinics have affected the healthcare system, another senior minister told Kashmir Times on condition of anonymity that the government should have given some time to ultrasound unit holders to complete the registration formalities.

“The ultrasound unit holders have been applying for registration and renewal of registration since 2009. They are not to be blamed. It’s the health department’s fault for not registering them,” he said.