Delhi PNDT panel non-functional for six months

New Delhi: The Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) committee, responsible for overseeing diagnostic labs in Delhi, has been non-functional for six months, leading to a halt in procurement of new machines and establishment of new centres in both government and private facilities.

Officials from the Delhi health department disclosed that the term of the last PNDT committee, including its district advisory committees, concluded in June last year, but the proposal for its reconstitution remains pending.

A senior health department official stated, “We have sent a proposal for the renewal of the committee to the chief secretary of Delhi, but we have not received clearance yet. After the CS clears the proposal, it will be sent to the lieutenant governor for a final go-ahead.”

Once approved by L-G VK Saxena, the file may also require the President’s approval. A Delhi government spokesperson attributed the delay to “grey areas in the administration,” citing the Supreme Court’s pending decision on the GNCTD Amendment Act. The spokesperson assured that the file is in process, and new committee members will be nominated soon. The PNDT committee, comprising representatives from the medical, legal, and social sectors, was established under the PNDT Act 1994 to monitor pre-natal sex determination practices in diagnostic centers. These committees, typically appointed for three years, approve certificates for new diagnostic centers, purchases of new machines (ultrasound, CT scan, MRI machines, etc), and expansion requests.

The rigorous scrutiny aims to ensure all pre-natal diagnoses are registered, eliminating room for illegal operations.

The absence of the committee has significantly impacted diagnostic centers. While existing centers can operate normally, obtaining approvals for new facilities or machine purchases is impossible without committee notice. This delay raises concerns, especially considering the dependence of thousands of patients on private labs for scans and tests in Delhi.

Experts note that bureaucratic delays negatively affect private facilities crucial for patients, particularly

the economically disadvantaged. With many government hospitals lacking basic

diagnostic facilities or facing machine malfunctions, timely operations in private facilities become critical.