Telangana Health Department Penalises 50 Fertility Clinics for Regulatory Violations

Telangana health authorities have taken action against 50 private fertility clinics across the state after uncovering widespread regulatory violations during comprehensive enforcement inspections. Following checks at 379 private fertility establishments, officials cancelled the registrations of two centres, temporarily suspended permissions for nine others, and issued show-cause notices to the remaining non-compliant facilities.

The enforcement drive was launched to strictly implement the Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) and surrogacy laws across Telangana. During the inspections, health teams discovered multiple deviations from statutory requirements. The major infractions included operating from unregistered addresses, failing to set up mandatory grievance cells, neglecting proper maintenance of patient and medical records, and making unauthorised staff changes without regulatory approval.

Health Minister Damodar Rajanarashima warned that commercial exploitation of patients seeking fertility treatments will not be tolerated. The Minister instructed the health department to carry out rigorous audits of medical inventory across clinics, which includes closely examining drug manufacturers and enforcing adherence to maximum retail prices.

Alongside the enforcement measures on private establishments, state-run IVF and fertility centres operating at Gandhi Hospital and Petlaburj Hospital have continued to provide public fertility services. According to official figures, these government facilities have served 39,802 patients so far, completing 545 IVF cycles and carrying out 521 intrauterine insemination procedures.

In addition to the checks on fertility clinics, the health department has intensified statewide monitoring under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC-PNDT) Act to stop illegal sex-determination practices. Between April and July, inspection teams conducted 2,600 visits to hospitals and diagnostic scanning units across the state.

Those inspections uncovered 37 specific discrepancies, leading officials to issue show-cause notices to 52 diagnostic facilities. Authorities confirmed in a press release that round-the-clock surveillance remains active throughout the state to ensure strict compliance with diagnostic and reproductive healthcare laws.