Radiologists threaten strike

Radiologists across the country have expressed displeasure over the raiding of clinics to check whether ultrasound machines were used for checking the sex of the foetus. They have raised objections about the role of the administrative authorities and are planning to stop antenatal scans for a month as a mark of protest.

“A meeting to this effect will take place in July,” Dr H Satishchandra, Head, Department of Radiodiagnosis, Bangalore Medical College and the President of the Indian Radiological Imaging Association (IRIA), told The Indian Express. Certain inadequacies and practical difficulties in the implementation of the Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act (PC-PNDT Act) has to be brought to the notice of the Government. There are around 7,000 radiologists attached to the IRIA.

Radiologists are upset at the manner in which Government authorities have raided clinics across the country. What has also upset them is one section of the PC-PNDT Act, which calls for maintenance of records.

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A Form F that gives the complete record of a pregnant women has to be maintained. However, radiologists claim that they have not been issued search warrants and ultrasound machines are being sealed on “flimsy” reasons.

“This does not prove we indulge in selecting the sex of the foetus,” said Dr Satishchandra, who was in Pune to participate in Dialogues on Antenatal Sonography.