Seven fertility centres in Telangana served notices

Hyderabad: Seven fertility centres that provide fertility and IVF treatment were served show-cause notices on Tuesday, November 10, in an ongoing statewide inspection in Telangana.

The checks are being carried out at assisted reproductive technology (ART) centres. The state health department has identified 44 ART centres across Telangana and checked 27 so far. As many as 13 gross violations were found in the seven hospitals, and 31 women were found as possible egg donors.

Following a series of exposés on illegal baby-selling rackets, egg donation, and IVF scams across the state, Health Minister Damodar Raja Narsimha has ordered a probe into the role of doctors, IVF centres and intermediaries, including how the women were approached.

One of the prominent cases is that of Universal Srushti Fertility Centre and Research Center in Secunderabad. The clinic allegedly handed over stolen newborn babies with fake DNA and birth records. The owner, Dr A Namratha, and her son were arrested. The Enforcement Directorate has also registered a money laundering case.

In August, 50 private fertility centres were served notices for failure to maintain records properly, not displaying registration certificates, operating without a grievance cell, and running centres at locations other than the registered address.

Registrations of two were cancelled, and permissions for nine centres were temporarily revoked.

Meanwhile, this Monday, November 9, five fertility centres in Hyderabad were served notices over alleged illegal egg collection from women.

ART clinics should register under the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021. On November 6, a team of medical officials visited the National ART and Surrogacy Registry in New Delhi to seek details of registered ART clinics and ART banks in Telangana. Further action will be taken based on the data.

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