Friends,
The PNDT Act is here to stay, whether you like it or not. As good law abiding citizens, it is our duty to implement the provisions of the act in its true spirit.

Unfortunately, the Implementing authorities are bent on implementing the Act in ‘letter’ rather than the ‘spirit’. There has been a spate of penalties and quite many USG machines have been sealed in the city in the last few days. Most Doctors have been penalized/ their machines sealed simply because the required records were not kept properly. The only way out for all of us is to maintain the records in the manner prescribed by the Appropriate Authority and ‘follow the rules’ to minimize problems.

We invited Dr. Asha Advani, the Special Officer in charge for implementing the PNDT Act in Mumbai, to discuss related issues on 7.10.2007. She has promised to give a set of practical guidelines for all of us to follow in order to minimize problems/ harassment. We shall post the guidelines on our website as soon as we receive the document from Dr. Advani.

I do agree that there are problems with the act, the Appropriate Authorities and interpretation / implementation of the act. Please let us know your grievances/ complaints in writing so that we can forward them to the proper authorities. Do let us know if you have had a bad experience with the Appropriate Authorities. Unless we have written complaints from you, we cannot confront the Authorities.

None of us do Sex Determination, I believe, but most of us do not keep proper records of the USGs that we do. At this juncture we have no option but fall in line and follow the provisions laid by the Act and let the Association sort out the irregularities.

Dr. Kartikeya Bhagat              Dr. Sudhir Naik
       Treasurer                             President

Below are listed some Requirements in the light of PNDT Act

Place should be registered
o Name of the Doctor should also be registered with the place
o Doctor’s name should appear on the certificate
o You can not do a portable USG at the patient’s residence until guidelines framed

The Doctor performing USG should be qualified
o Gynaecologist: MD, DGO
o Sonologist: MD, DMRD
o Paediatrician: MD, DCH
o Geneticist: PG in Biological Sciences
o Machine to be registered

Machine should be registered
o Make to be mentioned on the certificate
o If your machine is out of order you can inform the Appropriate Authority and use another machine which is registered

Display
o Registration Certificate in duplicate: Counter & near each Machine
o Message in English and Local Language
o The Sonologist / Doctor’s Qualification
o Copy of the PNDT act should be at the place of USG
o Sex determination & selection Prohibited

Records
o F Form
   • To be filled in completely
   • Preserved for 2 years
   • Copies to be kept at the Place for inspection
o Undertaking from the pregnant woman
   • A copy to be given to the woman
o Undertaking from the Doctor
   • A copy to be given to the woman
o A register for Gynaec / Other cases should also be maintained

Renewal
o Apply one month prior
o 50% of fees to be given for renewal
o Application Form A to be filled in duplicate
o Undertaking with declaration to be Notarized
o Processed within 60 days
o Certified within 90 days

Changes
o Any change to be informed to the Appropriate Authority within 30 days

Punishments
o Monetary
o Prison