SHIMOGA: After taking action against the doctor and the hospital responsible for discarding about 24 foetuses in drains and dust bins in the city, the district administration has stepped up vigil on hospitals and scanning centres.
As a first step, the Health Department officials led by Assistant Commissioner M L Vaishaly and District Health Officer Dr Channabasappa, formed three teams and raided hospitals and scanning centres since Saturday afternoon.
On Saturday, the teams visited seven centres like City, Nirmala, Vatsalya, Subbaiah and Ideal hospitals till 8 pm. On Sunday the teams visited 22 hospitals.
When the officials asked about the records and documents regarding scanning and sex determination tests, they found nothing. No hospital has maintained proper documents on scanning. Some hospitals have records on whom the sex determination tests were conducted, but no proper information as to why the test was conducted, what treatment was given or whether abortions were carried out.
According to the Assistant Commissioner who led the teams, the doctors said that the test report and information on treatment have been given to the patients who were treated. This attitude has proved that hospitals were negligent on maintaining documents on scanning as per the guidelines.
Assistant Commissioner Vaishaly said that notices would be served to the hospitals which failed to provide complete information regarding sex determination tests. The DHO and other officials of the Health Department have been reviewing the records. Action would be taken according to the legal procedures and all the hospitals have been directed to follow the norms strictly, she added.