Illegal Egg Trade? State Health Authorities Suspends Registration of Two IVF Centers in Udaipur for Violations of ART and Surrogacy Laws

Jaipur- The Rajasthan government has adopted a strict stance to ensure transparency, statutory compliance, and ethical standards in IVF centers operating across the state. Acting swiftly on reports of illegal purchase and sale of eggs at IVF centers, the Medical and Health Department launched a campaign for intensive inspection of these centers and ensured strict action against those violating rules. After serious irregularities were found in the operation of two IVF centers, their registrations have been suspended with immediate effect.

Principal Secretary of the Medical and Health Department, Gayatri Rathore, stated that information about irregularities at IVF centers in Udaipur district had been received recently. In response, a state-level team was formed under the chairmanship of the State Nodal Officer for ART and Surrogacy. Additionally, three separate teams were constituted and conducted surprise inspections for a thorough investigation of all registered IVF centers in Udaipur district.

These teams inspected 28 centers in Udaipur. The team formed under the State Nodal Officer inspected Amar Ashish Hospital and IVF Center in Udaipur on May 2, and conducted a detailed examination of documents related to the ART bank, ART clinic (Level-2), and surrogacy clinic. 

During the inspection, serious deficiencies were found in the documents, leading to the immediate suspension of the registration of the ART bank, ART clinic, and surrogacy clinic. During inspections by the teams, several irregularities were also found at Sampat ART Bank in Udaipur, resulting in the suspension of its registration until further orders. The document verification process for the remaining IVF centers is ongoing. The Principal Secretary stated that violations of the provisions of the ART Regulation Act, 2021, and the Surrogacy Regulation Act will not be tolerated under any circumstances.

The protection of public health and rights is the highest priority, and the strictest action will be ensured against any kind of irregularity in this direction. The department will conduct regular inspections of all registered ART banks, ART clinics, and surrogacy clinics across the state to ensure that all institutions fully comply with prescribed standards and legal provisions. Rathore said the state government is committed to maintaining transparency, accountability, and quality in health services, and swift and strict action against any kind of irregular activities will continue uninterrupted.