Beijing, Feb 25 (IANS) Clinics offering illegal sex determination tests and gender-selective abortion in the Chinese metropolis of Shanghai will face severe punishment, officials said.
Clinics operating without licence will be shut down and equipment used for illegal medical practices will be confiscated. Their staff will facing criminal charges if injury has been caused to patients, the Shanghai Daily reported.
More than 10 such clinics have been reported so far this year in Songjiang district of the city.
Officials said low cost and easy operability of ultrasound machines and the profits unlicensed clinics make through sex determination services were the main reasons behind the clinics.
China banned foetal sex identification in 1994 as many parents in rural areas prefer boys and choose to abort girls, causing a serious gender imbalance.
