Telangana Health Department Inspects 27 ART Centres in Illegal Egg Collection Crackdown

Telangana health authorities have inspected 27 fertility clinics across the state following reports of an illegal egg collection racket. Task force teams visited these facilities over a four-day period after officials identified 44 total Assisted Reproductive Technology centres for scrutiny. Inspectors found 13 separate rules violations across seven different hospitals and issued official show-cause notices to their managements. Health Minister C. Damodar Rajanarasimha ordered a deep investigation into these operations and called for strict punishment against any clinics or persons breaking the law. Officials are currently checking records seized by the police alongside data from the National ART and Surrogacy Registry in New Delhi. Investigators are also looking into the roles of specific women, doctors, IVF clinics, and middlemen who helped arrange the illegal procedures.

Context

Assisted reproductive technology clinics handle sensitive medical procedures like in-vitro fertilisation and egg donation, which are strictly regulated by Indian law to prevent exploitation and illegal trafficking. The National ART and Surrogacy Registry maintains central records to ensure that all operational clinics comply with government safety and ethical standards.