Bihar State Health Society (BSHS) has showcaused Patna civil surgeon for giving permission to two sealed ultrasonography clinics to reopen.

Sources in the health society said the notice was issued to the civil surgeon, Dr Lakhendra Prasad, a few days back after the health department received complaints that the clinics in the state capital had started functioning again. Dr Prasad confirmed the receipt of the notice.

National Inspection and Monitoring Committee (NIMC) had sealed the facilities on February 11 for violating norms of the Pre-conception and Prenatal Diagnostic Tests (PC-PNDT) Act, 1994. They were prima facie guilty of conducting sex detection test on expecting women.

Dr Prasad said he had allowed the clinics to reopen after getting written undertaking from their proprietors that the “mistakes would be corrected” and record of all the tests conducted at the centres would be maintained.

“The showcause notice asks me why FIRs were not lodged against the ultrasound centres at Ford Hospital and Maurya X Ray and Ultrasound Pvt. Ltd, which were sealed by the NIMC team. I am in talks with lawyers before replying to the showcause,” Dr Prasad told The Telegraph.

The NICM team constituted under the PNDT Act had conducted surprise inspections at seven facilities offering ultrasonography diagnostic services at Vaishali and Patna districts on February 10 and 11. Besides the two clinics in the state capital, it sealed four other facilities in Vaishali district.

At Maurya ultrasound in Kankerbagh, the NIMC team observed that there was gross under reporting of ultrasound procedures. Officials pointed out while 12-15 ultrasounds were reportedly performed daily on expecting women, only two-three procedures were documented.

At Ford Hospital, the NIMC team observed, an unauthorised doctor was performing ultrasonography.

The civil surgeon said the hospital had now appointed a radiologist.