Pune: Eye scan machine now under PC-PNDT scanner

When contacted, Dr Mandar Bhat, president of Poona Ophthalmology Society, told Pune Newsline that the matter was sub-judice but they had received a circular to the effect. Several local ophthalmologists were, however, shocked that their ‘A’ and ‘B’ scan machines were being compared with the abdominal ultrasound machine.

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“It is laudable that the authorities want to save the girl child and are ensuring that no stone is left unturned to increase the child sex ratio. However the ‘A’ scan used by ophthalmologists is unidimensional and is used to measure the length of the eye. The ‘B’ scan is two-dimensional but cannot read beyond 2-3 cm. Even if the ‘B’ scan is akin to the abdominal ultrasound machine, it cannot reach the placenta or uterine cavity,” ophthalmologists said.

In fact, at Sassoon general hospital, authorities received a jolt recently when the same committee implementing the PC-PNCT Act in the PMC seized the scan used by the ophthalmology department of BJ Medical College. “We still do not know why the machine was seized as such small probes cannot be used for illegal sex determination. However, the machines were also unsealed thereafter,” hospital authorities said.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the advisory committee of the PC-PNDT Act met on Thursday and decided to file their say in the HC. Dr Vaishali Jadhav, assistant medical officer of health and designated appropriate authority to implement the PC-PNDT Act, said that as per the Act they were checking any kind of technology that can be “misused” for illegal sex determination. “We had issued a circular to the ophthalmologists to register their machines before October 31,” Jadhav added.

Dr Prashant Chaudhari, who is a member of the Indian Radiology and Imaging Association, Pune chapter, and member of the advisory committee of the PC-PNDT Act, said the probe used by ophthalmologists is likely to be misused for determining the sex of the foetus. To ensure that these machines are not wrongly misused in the absence of ophthalmologists, we want them to register the machines and maintain records, the committee members said.

However, on their part, the ophthalmologists have met the state health authorities and also requested health ministry officials to intervene on the issue. “In the entire state of Maharashtra only Pune has issued such a diktat,” ophthalmologists pointed out.