A "silent observer" to monitor and deter female foeticide -Governance Now

A "silent observer" to monitor and deter female foeticide

"Silent obeserver" is a special device which will enable the law enforcing agencies to moniter the use of sonography machines.

PTI | May 30, 2011

A special device called "silent observer" is being introduced by a Pune based company, engaged in varied e-governance projects, as an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) initiative to fight growing incidence of female foeticide in the country.

The device would not only enable the law enforcing agencies to monitor the use of sonography machines but would also provide them with analytical reports for further action warranted under the Preconception and Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention) Act (PC and PNDT), according to Sunil Umrani, Managing Director, VisionIndia Software Exports.

"In spite of PC and PNDT act being in place for more than 15 years, the female child sex ratio is continuously on decline due to lack of effective implementation of its provisions. Mobile scanning machines, under reporting , no storage of ultra sonography test reports are some of the reasons for the malady," he said in a media interaction in Pune.

The "Silent Observer" (SIOB), is an embedded device specifically designed and implemented to address the issue of sex-selective abortion or female foeticide rampant in urban and rural area, which records the entire activity of the sonography tests done and can also be used as evidence if needed, claims the solution introduced by the company.

"With an integrated web enabled solution we are attempting to facilitate effective implementation of the PC and PNDT act. The solution consists of an online F-form reporting system and a special device called Silent Observer," he explained.

F-form is mandatory to be filled for each pregnant woman and submitted to district health authorities for each sonography procedure. In the SIOB solution, this process has been made online with the device attached to sonography machine to monitor its use.

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