Software-based technology to fight female foeticide not installed in any sonography clinic in city even after 6 months
Software-based technology to fight female foeticide not installed in any sonography clinic in city even after 6 months
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It's been six months since the then district collector Chandrakant Dalvi announced his ambitious plan to install the Silent Observer technology in sonography machines, but nothing has been done so far. Popularly known as the 'Kolhapur pattern' because the technology was used by that district first to demonstrate its effectiveness, Silent Observer is a software-based technology device which is embedded in a sonography machine.
The vigil is stricter in case of women who have had a girl child previously. Addressing a workshop in the city in January 2011, Dalvi had said that that taking a cue from Kolhapur, the district would take steps to install Silent Observer devices in sonography machines in a bid to improve the sex ratio and curb female foeticide.
Officials unsure
Six months later, while the device is yet to get installed in any of the sonography clinics, state officials also say they aren't sure of it anymore. "No decision has yet been taken on the Silent Observer model and we are not sure about its implementation across the state yet," said Dr Suresh Gupta, additional director (family welfare).
Gynaecs unaware
While district officials had claimed they held workshops with doctors involved in ultrasounds before announcing the move, city gynaecologists say they are aware of the technology but do not know it is coming to the city.
"I know what the technology is all about, but not in minute detail. We would like to know about it but we never heard of any plans of the district officials to bring it to the city. Neither does any ultrasound centre in Pune implement any such technology," said Dr Anand Shinde, gynaecologist and past president of Pune Obstetrics and Gynaecological Society (POGS). Dr Mukta Umarji, another leading gynaecologist, said that she had also never heard of such a technology being implemented in city clinics.
(Part IV of series on female foeticide prevention)
How does Silent Observer work?
When a woman goes to a sonography clinic, she is made to fill out an 'F form', which has complete details about her like her name, age, address, reason for tests, referring doctor and history of childbirth, among other things. This is done manually at present, but if the Silent Observer system is installed, then this form becomes online. Under the manual system, the usual complaints are that forms are incomplete, but the online system makes sure this does not happen as it simply does not accept incomplete data. Secondly, all ultrasound images are electronically stored and can serve as evidence later.
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