Tamil Nadu Government has passed an order to shut down four private hospitals that illegally sold a 16-year-old girl’s egg cells. Health Minister Ma Subramanian during a press conference held by the forceful donation of egg cells and shut down of four fertility hospitals.
The girl from Erode district has also been a victim of rape as unveiled by the police in June. Her documents were forged to show the minor as an adult, along with a role of a fictitious husband. Thereby, severe actions have been initiated by the Government against the people behind it.
Four Private Hospitals Shutdown
A Permanent shutdown of four private hospitals in the state of Tamil Nadu has been initiated immediately after narrowing down the results of the investigation.
The final report was submitted on 7 July after an inquiry into the incident by five members led by A Viswanathan, Joint Director of Medical and Rural Health Services. The required action was taken based on this report that contained relevant information and evidence for the closing of these hospitals.
In June, Tamil Nadu state police also arrested four persons including the girl’s mother for accompanying her male friend to rape the minor girl and faking her identity to sell her oocytes (an immature egg that develops to maturity from within a follicle) to several private hospitals that have now led to its shutdown.
The hospitals accepted the fake adhaar card presented by the wrongdoers and executed the procedure of removal in an irrelevant manner.
Case Filed and Actions Taken
Health Minister MR. Subramanian said that suitable action was initiated in the four fertility hospitals that belong to Salem, Krishnagiri, and Erode for violations under Assisted Technology Act and Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act in the case where a forceful donation of egg cells was conducted.
The statement released by Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Thursday urges to discharge of all patients admitted there within the next 15 days. Furthermore, all the scan centers connected to these mentioned hospitals shall be closed immediately.
“Two hospitals empanelled with the state health insurance schemes will be removed from the list,” he said.
The investigation report also had two hospitals in the states of Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.
Tamil Nadu Clinical Establishment Act was also filed against the hospitals that include Sudha Hospital (Erode) and its branch in Salem, Ramprasad Hospital (Perundurai), Vijay Hospital (Hosur), Sri Krishna Hospital (Thiruvananthapuram), and Matrutva Hospital and Test Tube Baby Center (Tirupati).
Legal Proceedings
The inquiry report also led to the commencement of legal proceedings against the four hospitals after instructions were passed on to the joint directors of medical and rural health services in the districts of Salem, Krishnagiri, and Erode.
As in the case of the other two , “the Health Secretary will write to the respective State governments (Kerala and Andhra Pradesh) recommending actions,” Ma Subramanian said.
“As per the ART Act, an oocyte donor aged 21 to 35 years having at least one child can donate only once in her lifetime,” he added.
With the provisions laid down by the ART Act, the hospitals will have to pay a fine of Rs 50 lakh, and imprisonment for over 10 years will be granted to the accused, including doctors for the crime committed.
Apart from actions against the mentioned hospitals, the police have also booked four, including the girl’s mother, her paramour, and an agent, under several sections including, the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences Act, and Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies Benefits and Services Act (section 34 and 35).
Hospitals: A Loss of Trust
Hospitals are places of hope and life as people trust them more than they trust their bodies when affected by diseases or kinds. But now people are losing their trust as such hospitals are turning into a business for profit platform.A commercial donation scheme was also being practiced among these hospitals with no qualified counselors.
Even the approval from the girl, explaining the procedures that include the pros and cons of oocyte donation, storing of ultrasound images, verification of adhaar card, and submission of required documents to the committee was not followed by these hospitals.
Moreover, the girl was forced to sell her egg cells multiple times after approval from a fictitious spouse.
Conclusion
The health department stated that it would recommend the Tamil Nadu Medical Council carry out the proceedings against the doctors involved and take disciplinary action.
During the press meeting, in the presence of P. Senthilkumar, Health Secretary, and S. Gurunathan, Director of Medical and Rural Health Service, the Minister said that
“We will take action on the hospitals under the Tamil Nadu Clinical Establishments Act. We are granting the hospitals 15 days to discharge all in-patients after treatment.”
He also added that appropriate steps would be taken to shut down these hospitals following legal proceedings.
