50 IVF Centres Found Flouting Rules, Nine Suspended
Health and family welfare commissioner Dr Sangeeta Satyanarayana reported the violations to health minister Damodar Rajanarsimha during a review meeting on Monday.
HYDERABAD: The health department has issued show‑cause notices to 50 private fertility and IVF centres for violating rules under the Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) and Surrogacy Acts. Permissions of nine centres were temporarily suspended, while registrations of two were cancelled after inspections revealed serious deviations.
Officials inspected 379 private fertility centres, finding irregularities in 50. Violations included changes in staff without updates, poor record maintenance, failure to display registration certificates, absence of grievance cells and centres operating at addresses different from those registered. Action was taken based on the seriousness of the violations.
Health and family welfare commissioner Dr Sangeeta Satyanarayana reported the violations to health minister Damodar Rajanarsimha during a review meeting on Monday. The minister directed officials to take strict action against errant centres and ensure patients were not subjected to unnecessary financial burden.
On the government IVF centres at Gandhi Hospital and Petlaburj Maternity Hospital, officials said the two centres had provided fertility services to 39,802 patients, conducted 20,185 follicular studies, 521 IUI procedures and 545 IVF procedures. The Gandhi centre began in October 2024, while Petlaburj opened in December 2024.
Rajanarsimha directed officials to strengthen services and prepare proposals to expand IVF facilities to districts in phases. He also reviewed implementation of the PC‑PNDT Act. Between April and July, 2,600 inspections were conducted at hospitals and scanning centres, with 52 deviations and 37 violations identified.
Officials were asked to maintain surveillance of the 477 registered ART and surrogacy centres in the state, including 129 ART Level‑1 centres, 226 ART Level‑2 centres, 59 ART banks and 63 surrogacy clinics. Inspections will cover staff details, registrations, grievance mechanisms and medicines used, including manufacturers and retail prices.