Jaipur, Aug 25 — The Rajasthan government has taken stringent action against Neelkanth Fertility and Women Care Hospital Private Limited following prima facie violations of provisions governing Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) and surrogacy services, officials said on Tuesday.
Nine registration certificates covering the hospital's ART clinics, ART bank and surrogacy clinic have been suspended with immediate effect until further orders.
Rajasthan Medical and Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar said that the state government is ensuring strict compliance with prescribed standards and legal provisions in the delivery of health services.
In this context, stringent action has been taken against Neelkanth Fertility and Women Care Hospital Private Limited following the detection of prima facie violations relating to the regulation of ART and surrogacy services in Rajasthan.
Rajasthan Principal Secretary (Medical and Health), Gayatri Rathore, said that the action was taken in view of alleged violations of the provisions of the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021.
She added that an advertisement for an IVF, fertility and test-tube baby centre, published in the Jaipur edition of an English-language newspaper, depicted a fetus in blue.
The department viewed the depiction as a prima facie indication of the promotion of sex-selection services, as the colour blue is commonly associated with a male child, and accordingly initiated action against Neelkanth Fertility and Women Care Hospital Private Limited. Under the Act, sex selection and sex-selective ART procedures are prohibited.
Rathore said that the registrations of nine ART and surrogacy facilities operated by Neelkanth Fertility and Women Care Hospital Private Limited have been suspended.
These facilities are located across Jaipur, Bhilwara, Udaipur, Kota, Jodhpur and Ajmer.
The suspended registrations include ART Clinic Level-1 facilities in Bhilwara, Kota, Udaipur, Ajmer and Jodhpur, ART Clinic Level-2 facilities in Bhilwara, Kota, Udaipur, Ajmer and Jodhpur, Two ART Clinic Level-2 facilities in Jaipur, one surrogacy clinic in Jaipur and one ART bank in Jaipur.
The department said that ART and surrogacy services in the state must operate in strict accordance with applicable laws, regulations and ethical standards.
Any direct or indirect promotion of prohibited practices, including sex selection, will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
The state government reiterated that strict action will continue to be taken against institutions found violating statutory provisions.
The state government remains committed to ensuring safe, transparent and high-quality reproductive healthcare services while strengthening compliance with legal and ethical standards across all institutions providing ART and surrogacy services.