The Bombay High Court (HC) has reached out to the Maharashtra government, seeking a response regarding the recommendations it provided for raising awareness about medical boards established under the MTP Act, 2021.
These boards play a crucial role in decisions related to pregnancy termination after 24 weeks. They assess whether the termination is due to foetal abnormalities. The board comprises a radiologist, paediatrician, gynaecologist, and other state-appointed members.
A recent case involved a 32-year-old woman who was allowed to terminate her 26-week pregnancy. The board deemed her emotionally and physically fit for the procedure.
Despite the successful termination, the petitioner's solicitors, Anubha Rastogi and Rachita Padwal, raised concerns. They pointed out that many locations still lack established medical boards. Even where they exist, awareness is low.
The solicitors suggested measures to increase awareness about these boards. They proposed distributing the names of medical boards and other information, such as their contact information and what services they provide, to government hospitals.
The Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists (FOGSI) should also receive this information. This would enable private doctors to refer patients who need a medical board's opinion on pregnancy termination.
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) addressing reproductive health issues at all levels should also have access to this information. The list of medical boards should be part of their Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) tools.
The Centre's community awareness information poster is available in Marathi and other regional languages.
Judges Gauri Godse and Revati Mohite-Dere requested state lawyer Himanshu Takke seek guidance from the authorities on October 17. The case will be heard again on November 7.
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