Did PMC succumb to doctors lobby for taking out Dr Vaishali Jadhav’s PCPNDT charge?

Pune: NP NEWS 24 ONLINE – Dr Vaishali Jadhav, assistant health officer of Pune municipal corporation (PMC), has been stripped of Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) charge. The order has been passed by PMC commissioner. Activists allege that charge has been taken out due to the pressure of doctors lobby who were hurt by the action taken against them.

Dr Jadhav is the officer who has taken stringent action against illegal sonography centres which allegedly indulged in sex determination tests in the city. Dr Jadhav had filed several cases against diagnostic centres as well as sex determination centres. Due to this radiologists association had called bandh two years back.

The PCPNDT Act is stringent against those radiologists who help disclose the sex of the fetus of the pregnant woman. Despite the law, there was no action against the radiologists and sex ratio of the city had fallen down recently. But when Dr Jadhav took charge, several cases were filed against them.

Ganesh Borhade, RTI activist and founder of ‘Ladki Lek foundation’ alleged that the PMC administration has bowed down to the pressure of the doctor’s lobby. “It is injustice with Dr Jadhav who has taken stringent action against the sex determination malpractices. Despite the implementation of the said law, there is no reason for the sudden changes. It may be due to doctors lobby”, said Borhade.

The PCPNDT charge has been given to assistant health officer Dr Kalpana Balivant. Dr Jadhav has been given national health programs.