Beed: Neelam Gorhe Calls For Crackdown On Illegal Sex Determination, CCTV Surveillance Near Sonography Centres

Beed: MLC and Chairperson of the State-Level Task Force for the PCPNDT and MTP Acts, Dr Neelam Gorhe, has directed district authorities to ensure uninterrupted healthcare for sugarcane cutters, including women, men and children, amid drought conditions and seasonal migration.

During a review meeting at the District Civil Surgeon’s office on Thursday, she assessed migrant workers’ health, hysterectomies and enforcement of the PCPNDT and MTP Acts.

Gorhe called for coordinated action between the health department and police to prevent unnecessary hysterectomies and curb illegal sex-determination tests. She directed officials to prepare a proposal identifying roads with sonography centres for CCTV surveillance.

She also stressed that women accompanying sugarcane-cutting groups must be formally designated as ‘Arogya Saathis’ (health companions). Officials have been asked to hold a verification meeting within three days to cross-check NGO inputs against official rosters.

“Every migrating group must be accompanied by a trained Arogya Saathi equipped with an identity card, a first-aid kit and adequate training,” she said, adding that non-migrating women could serve at the village level.

Medical supplies must be monitored through dedicated WhatsApp channels linked to primary health centres. Health cards should cover anaemia, diabetes, hypertension, cardiac issues, and vision, hearing and dental screenings. Migration routes must be mapped to deploy mobile health units, while coordination with the Women and Child Development Department should ensure uninterrupted child immunisation and nutrition services.

Gorhe directed officials to audit the medical justifications for hysterectomies performed at private hospitals and recommend action against unnecessary procedures. Cases involving women travelling to neighbouring districts for such surgeries will be raised at the state task force level.

“Women who have undergone hysterectomies need routine post-operative follow-ups. They must be linked to menopause clinics for nutritional advice and psychological counselling,” she said, calling for public awareness campaigns to dispel cancer fears that may lead to unnecessary surgeries.

Social activists Manisha Tokle and Advocate Sangeeta Chavan highlighted drought-driven migration, gaps in healthcare access, irregularities in selecting Arogya Saathis and medicine shortages.

To strengthen enforcement of the PCPNDT Act, Gorhe called for restructuring the district task force as per state norms and increasing civil society participation. She sought routine audits of sonography registrations, Form F compliance and operational records, along with evidence-based probes into the alleged misuse of veterinary ultrasound machines for human sex determination and illegal sales of portable diagnostic equipment.

She also called for joint police-health department procedures to inspect abortion centres without harassing ethical practitioners. The health department has been asked to map sonography centres across Beed city and taluka headquarters for CCTV integration and establish confidential helplines for whistleblowers.

Gorhe stressed patient confidentiality and dignity during MTP procedures, while noting that mandatory reporting in cases involving minors, child marriage or sexual assault must not delay critical medical care.

District Civil Surgeon Dr Satishkumar Solanke, health officials and activists attended the meeting.