Need to protect girls from discrimination stressed: DM&HO Dr M Penchalaiah

Tirupati: District Medical and Health Officer (DM&HO) Dr M Penchalaiah has said that everyone should strive hard in making the male – female sex ratio to 1000 : 1000. There were 931 girls for every 1000 boys in 0-6 years age group as per 2011 population census and by now it has gone up to 952 girls.

He addressed the one-day training programme on 'Pre Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques' (PC-PNDT) Act which was attended by ANMs, supervisors, medical officers of PHCs, CHCs and others held at SV Medical College in Tirupati on Thursday. He said that due to poverty, illiteracy and superstitions in the society there was discrimination against girl children.

There is a need to bring awareness in the society on the importance of girl children and see that they should be saved. Awareness should be created through police, ANMs, Anganwadi workers and Suraksha volunteers, among such women on the PC-PNDT Act and the punishments in the act for those involving in female foeticides.

Additional DM&HO Dr C Aruna Sulochana Devi has said that every official of line departments should ensure that the PC –PNDT Act be implemented strictly. District Immunisation Officer Dr C Hanumantha Rao, Dr Sudarshan, Dr P Sreenivasulu, Dr Visvanathaiah, Dr A Nirmalamma and others participated in the meeting.