Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 15: Minister for Health & Medical Education, Chaudhary Lal Singh chaired the meeting of State Supervisory Board on Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PC & PNDT) here today.
Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Asiya Naqash was also present in the meeting.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister stressed on the need of devising multi-pronged strategies with emphasis on gender sensitive policies, provisions and legislation to build a positive environment for girl child. He sought active cooperation of all segments of the society in saving the girl child and ensuring her a secure and dignified life as efforts of the Government alone would not be enough to deal with this menace.
The Minister directed the Law Department to add teeth to the present Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Sex Selection/Determination Act (PC&PNDT) by making certain necessary amendments in the existing rules on the lines of amendments made by the Union Government.
Secretary Health and Medical Education, Dr. M. K. Bhandar gave a brief detail of functioning of the State Supervisory Board and its achievements.
Dr Yashpal Sharma, Mission Director, NHM, J&K gave a detailed presentation on issues of declining sex ratio in the State and its district wise status.
The board also reviewed the action taken report of the previous meeting and advised divisional authorities to focus on districts, blocks and villages with low Child Sex Ratio to ascertain the causes, plan appropriate behavior Change Communication campaigns and effectively implement provisions of the PC & PNDT Act.
Meanwhile, Lal Singh called for promoting the culture of voluntary blood donation especially among the youth.
Addressing a function at LD Hospital here organized in connection with the launching of blood donation campaign, the Minister highlighted the importance of donating blood voluntarily in saving the lives of the people.
The Minister said the month long campaign will focus on commitment from healthy individuals to become voluntary blood donors. “The aim is to equip the youth with information on blood safety and the benefits of voluntary blood donation,” he said and stressed upon the youth to keep away from drugs.
The blood donation campaign is being organized by the Jammu and Kashmir State AIDS Prevention and Control Society (JKSACS) in collaboration with LD Hospital Srinagar.
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