Mangaluru: The Dakshina Kannada district Deputy Commissioner opined that a proper action plan was the need of the hour to improve the sex ratio in the district.
She was addressing the gathering after inaugurating the inter-state and inter-district workshop on the issue of female sex ratio, under Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act – 1994. She said, “This workshop should be successful in formulating an action plan for the future, to address gender inequality. The desire for male children, social status and other reasons led people to opt for unsafe abortions and this needs to be curtailed.”
Dakshina Kannada District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. Ramakrishna Rao spoke on the issue of the gender disparity in the district. “Between April and September this year, the average sex ratio was 850 to 950 and it went to 1,036 in October. We need to adequately address the issue of gender discrimination for social harmony and a healthy society. The health department is focusing on private scanning centres to prevent them from indulging in gender detection,” he informed.
The District Health Department has placed a lot of pressure on the city’s private scanning centres to prevent gender detection. “There are eight government and 154 private scanning centres in the district and information about the Pre-Prenatal Sexual Prohibition Act of 1994 has been given to them,” he said.
ZP Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Selvamani R, Deputy Director of Women and Child Development Department Sundar Poojary, Wenlock Hospital Superintendent Dr Rajeshwari Devi and others were present.
