Thane, March 18 A hospital in Thane has been found to be operating an unauthorized IVF clinic, prompting authorities to order a comprehensive inspection of all such facilities and sonography centers in the city, officials said on Wednesday.
The crackdown comes in the wake of a recent bust of an illegal "egg-selling" racket in the Badlapur area of Thane district, Maharashtra.
The Thane Municipal Corporation's (TMC) health department initiated action on March 6 by raiding the unlicensed IVF center at a prominent local hospital, the civic body said in a release.
"The center's approval has been canceled, and three sonography machines at the facility have been sealed," it said.
Taking note of the irregularities, Thane Mayor Sharmila Pimpalolkar convened a high-level meeting on Tuesday, attended by TMC's Chief Medical Health Officer Dr Prasad Patil and Shiv Sena group leader Pawan Kadam.
"The mayor has directed the administration to immediately inspect all IVF and sonography centers within the Thane Municipal Corporation limits," the release said.
She further ordered the launch of a "special campaign against illegal sonography centers" to ensure strict compliance with medical safety norms.
During the meeting, Dr Patil said, "Poor women were being coerced into producing excess eggs through hormonal injections in exchange for money. These were then extracted and sold for lakhs of rupees to childless couples."
To ensure accountability, the mayor has mandated a rigorous oversight mechanism.
"The administration should monitor the investigation regularly and submit a report every week. The action taken by the health department must be continued without interruption," the release quoted the mayor.
