Maurya X-Ray in Patna. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Three months since two sealed ultrasonography clinics were re-opened by the Patna civil surgeon, the officer has now sought help from police to close them down.

The official, Lakhendra Prasad, has sought police assistance to get the ultrasonography centres at Ford Hospital and Maurya X-Ray and Ultrasound Pvt Ltd closed after the State Health Society, Bihar, (SHSB) took him to task about two weeks back. The society had instructed Prasad to shut down the centres at once.

In February this year, the Centre’s National Inspection and Monitoring Committee (NIMC) team had sealed the two ultrasonography centres for violating various norms of the Pre-conception & Prenatal Diagnostic Tests (PC-PNDT) Act, 1994.

Prasad, however, issued the clinics permission to function again after they gave written undertaking to correct the faults highlighted during the NIMC team’s surprise inspection in February. The matter had also kicked off a furore in the Assembly after which the state health society issued a notice to Prasad asking why the clinics, which were found prima facie guilty of carrying out sex-determination test, had started functioning again and why FIRs had not been lodged against them.

The officer sent his clarification to the society but it issued fresh directions to immediately seal the clinics as it was unsatisfied with the explanations. Prasad said despite repeated orders to the ultrasonography centres at Ford Hospital and Maurya X-Ray and Ultrasound Pvt. Ltd, they continued operations.

“We have written to the district police asking the force to accompany us when we go to seal the centres. It should be done within the next two-three days,” he said.