Egg Donors Housed In Hostels Sans Med Supervision
Some donors reportedly consumed alcohol, smoked cigarettes or chewed tobacco during this period, raising concerns about their health and the safety of the eggs collected.
Hyderabad:Women brought to Hyderabad from other states for an alleged oocyte donation racket were housed in hostels and rented apartments, where they were given hormonal injections and medicines without the required medical supervision, sources said.
Malkajgiri commissioner B. Sumathi had earlier said women from West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and other states were recruited with offers of Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 30,000 for each egg donation cycle. The women were brought to Hyderabad and accommodated in rented premises before being referred to fertility-related service providers.
In the Begumpet case, donors were housed in five portions of an apartment building in Prakash Nagar, which operated as the Ami Nita Girls Hostel. A source said the women were being prepared for proposed egg donation procedures and given hormonal injections and medicines. However, an inspection found no qualified medical practitioner or evidence of authorised medical supervision, the source said.
The alleged main organiser, Amit Sharma, signed a rental agreement for an apartment on August 21, a source said. The women arrived the next day. The owner had been told that they would stay there and that rent would be paid, but was unaware of the alleged activities, the source added.
The women were given hormonal injections to synchronise their menstrual cycles, with only a day or two between them, sources said. The aim was to coordinate procedures and reduce laboratory and testing costs. The process could take one to two months, during which donors were expected to receive regular medication and remain under medical supervision. Sources said that care was not provided.
A similar arrangement was reported in the Saroornagar case. Accused Durga Prasad is said to have housed women in a hostel and a house, telling the owners they were employed in catering. They, too, were allegedly left without medical care.
Some donors reportedly consumed alcohol, smoked cigarettes or chewed tobacco during this period, raising concerns about their health and the safety of the eggs collected.