Latest news with #AlkaSingh
Indian Express
20-07-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Gurgaon IVF centre operating without license sealed after raid uncovers 84 embryos
Authorities in Gurgaon have sealed an unregistered in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and surrogacy centre operating out of Sushant Lok 1, following a raid that uncovered multiple regulatory violations, including the presence of 84 embryos and untrained staff. The action followed an anonymous tip sent to Gurgaon Chief Medical Officer Dr Alka Singh earlier this month. 'I received an anonymous email stating that an illegal IVF and surrogacy centre had been running for over a year at Block B of Sushant Lok 1,' Dr Singh said. After consulting with the Haryana Director-General of Health Services, Dr Singh was advised to coordinate with the local Deputy Commissioner. 'Subsequently, on Tuesday, we formed a six-member team, including a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), after discussions with him. The state board (under the PCPNDT Act) authorised us to take action, and we proceeded with the inspection last Wednesday,' she told The Indian Express Saturday. The centre, which had been operational for approximately a year, was found to be functioning without the required registration. 'The centre was not registered, and their registry was not maintained properly,' Dr Singh said. 'The doctors and embryologists present were not adequately trained, and in some cases, there were barely one or two doctors. They had permission for an ultrasound machine but lacked approval for Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) procedures.' Authorities discovered 84 embryos stored at the facility, raising further concern. Staff at the centre claimed that samples were sent to Delhi for processing, but officials believe procedures may have been conducted on-site. 'After observing their activities, it appeared that these procedures were being conducted on-site, contrary to their claims,' Dr Singh added. While the presence of a large number of embryos has triggered questions, officials said there is no evidence yet to suggest the use of donor eggs from economically disadvantaged women or the provision of services to foreign clients. 'We cannot definitively say what was used or not,' Dr Singh said. The centre has since been sealed, and all equipment seized. 'It takes time to get authorisation and manage such cases, especially with 84 embryos involved,' she said, explaining the delay between the raid and the filing of the case. The first information report (FIR) was lodged on Thursday at the DLF police station in Sector 29, marking the first such case against an IVF centre in Haryana. A police spokesperson confirmed that the investigation is underway. 'The FIR was filed on the complaint by the health department. They have all the details on the devices and other material seized as of now,' the spokesperson said. Dr Sabu George, a long-time campaigner against female foeticide and member of the National Inspection and Monitoring Committee under the PCPNDT Act, said the development was not unexpected. 'It is not surprising at all. Over the years Gurgaon has become even more exclusive of a space than South Delhi, where demand for such facilities increases. Government oversight and implementation of the relevant laws post-registration of these centres is often found wanting,' Dr George said.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Illegal IVF & surrogacy centre busted in Gurgaon; first FIR in Haryana, says CMO
Gurgaon: A fertility clinic that ran an illegal surrogacy and IVF (test tube baby) business in the city has been busted. A team from the health department found the clinic in Sushant Lok 1 was operating a "full-scale IVF and surrogacy setup without following the rules". The clinic, running without proper registration, charged up to Rs 3 lakh for the procedures and arrangements, health officials said. During the inspection, the team seized several registers that listed frozen embryos, egg donations and semen storage. The records showed the clinic was using a large number of egg donors and surrogates, many of them from poor backgrounds. An FIR was lodged at DLF 1 police station on Thursday. Chief medical officer Alka Singh said, "This is the first FIR in Haryana against an IVF centre. We have formed a six-member team of doctors. The team is investigating all such centres in Gurgaon. In this particular case, we received mail from an anonymous source about illegal activities being conducted at the centre. We informed DG (health) and district authorities and carried out a raid. We found several violations. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo First, the centre was not registered. Second, there was evidence of ongoing IVF, IUI and egg donation procedures being carried out without requisite approvals. We also found 84 embryos." You Can Also Check: Gurgaon AQI | Weather in Gurgaon | Bank Holidays in Gurgaon | Public Holidays in Gurgaon According to the FIR, "During the inspection, Manju Sharma, the clinic's owner, admitted in a signed statement over 80 embryos were being stored at the centre and IVF procedures were being conducted since April-May 2025. She named another partner, Dr Nidhi, and confirmed that the clinic took over operations from the previously known Joyce IVF Centre." "The inquiry found evidence of at least 68 semen samples frozen between April and June 2025, with entries including names of foreign nationals such as Carlus Danielle, Andrew Charles and an Australian couple," the FIR stated. Officials said the clinic violated the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021 and the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021.
Time of India
30-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Haryana confirms 62 dengue cases, none so far in Gurgaon this season
Gurgaon: The state health department has recorded 62 confirmed cases of dengue till June end. However, Gurgaon hasn't recorded any cases so far even as dengue hotspots have been mapped out. Rewari has emerged as the most affected district with 14 cases, followed by Karnal with eight, Panchkula with seven and Kaithal and Faridabad with four each. While the state numbers are lower than in previous years, authorities remain vigilant to prevent a post-monsoon surge. Thirty-one cases of malaria and 10 cases of chikungunya were also recorded during the same period. In Gurgaon, the health department has mapped out several dengue hotspots, including Wazirabad, DLF 1 and 4, sectors 12, 12A, 21A, 39, 45, 47 and 52, as well as Palam Vihar, Basai, Kanhai Colony, Sirhaul, Dharam Colony, Udyog Vihar 1 and Jharsa. Chief medical officer Dr Alka Singh said, "Fever surveillance drives are being conducted to detect cases early and initiate timely treatment." With early action and public awareness, officials hope to maintain low-disease counts through the high-risk monsoon season. You Can Also Check: Gurgaon AQI | Weather in Gurgaon | Bank Holidays in Gurgaon | Public Holidays in Gurgaon "Citizens must ensure there is no collection of stagnant water in tanks, flower pots and water coolers. Residents are advised to wear full-sleeved clothing and use mosquito repellents and we may get dengue cases till Oct 15," she said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Where Thane's Pulse Meets Peaceful Living L&T Evara Heights Enquire Now Undo In 2024, Gurgaon reported 186 cases. In 2023, the city saw 276 dengue cases and one fatality. In 2022, it recorded 440 cases, while in 2021, there were 327 dengue cases and one death. The city witnessed the highest number of cases in 2015, when 451 people were infected. The figure stood at 86 in 2016, 66 in 2017 and 93 in 2018. While 22 cases were reported in 2019, 51 cases were recorded in 2020. Free dengue testing To tackle the threat of vector-borne diseases, the govt has launched a comprehensive containment strategy. A senior health official said, "Free dengue testing is available at 27 govt laboratories and 241 dedicated wards with 1,050 hospital beds have been reserved across state-run hospitals." "Fogging operations have been intensified with 566 machines including vehicle-mounted units, deployed across the state. Additionally, larvivorous Gambusia fish have been released in nearly 6,900 water bodies to eliminate mosquito larvae. Legal notices have also been issued to construction sites and households found violating municipal bye-laws related to mosquito breeding," the official added.
Hindustan Times
24-06-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Gurugram sex ratio improves after March slump
After a steep decline in the sex ratio earlier this year, Gurugram has shown signs of recovery with the figure crossing the 900 mark for the first time in 2025. According to the district health department, the sex ratio in May stood at 917 girls per 1,000 boys — a marked improvement from 751 in March, which had sparked alarm across the administration, officials said. Gurugram sex ratio improves after March slump Health department officials attributed the turnaround to intensified inspections, legal action, and awareness campaigns aimed at curbing gender-based sex selection. 'The declining sex ratio was a matter of serious concern. We intensified our inspections, especially after the March data. After taking action, the figures rose in April and May,' said Dr Alka Singh, chief medical officer, Gurugram. Official records show the monthly sex ratio for 2025 as follows: January – 877, February – 850, March – 751, April – 907, and May – 917. District authorities cracked down on illegal practices under the PCPNDT (Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques) Act. In one case, an ultrasound technician was arrested in a sting operation for disclosing the sex of a foetus. The centre was sealed, and action was taken against the accused, according to district health officials. Dr Pradeep Kumar, deputy civil surgeon and PCPNDT nodal officer, said, 'We are taking help from decoy patients and using sting operations to catch repeat offenders. Our team conducts surprise inspections and follows up on every complaint.' According to Kumar, licences of 66 ultrasound centres have been suspended or cancelled this year for non-compliance. Eleven raids have been conducted under the MTP (Medical Termination of Pregnancy) Act and two under the PCPNDT Act. To further tighten surveillance, a district-level task force has been constituted under the Deputy Commissioner. It works in coordination with the police, health, and legal departments to monitor ultrasound centres and prevent sex determination. 'We organised awareness camps in areas where the sex ratio had fallen below 750. So far, we have conducted 18 such camps. We also informed the public about a ₹ 1 lakh reward for credible information on illegal sex determination,' said Kumar. Gurugram's annual sex ratio was 899 in 2024, 928 in 2023, 922 in 2022, and a low of 914 in 2021. The figures stood at 917 and 923 in 2020 and 2019, respectively. 'We are hopeful that this trend will continue, but awareness among families and community participation are equally important to bring about the changes,' Kumar added.
Indian Express
10-06-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Gurgaon records 11 new Covid-19 cases; active cases stand at 61
The Haryana health department said it identified 11 new Covid cases from the 315 samples tested in Gurgaon on Tuesday. The number of active cases in the district now stands at 61, with 35 patients having recovered so far this year from a cumulative of 96 cases. Only one among the Tuesday's cases, involving a 31-year-old man residing at Sector 65, has a travel history to Thailand. There have been no Covid deaths yet in Haryana in the latest spread of cases, and all patients in Gurgaon are under home isolation. The health department had earlier stated that the situation was under control and that there was no cause for concern with the rise in symptomatic Covid-19 cases. 'All the pandemic-era precautionary measures and advisories, including mask-wearing, have been reissued and reiterated to hospitals. For now, we have made available 500 beds across isolation wards in government hospitals and other sites for any rise in serious cases. We will increase the number if and when the need arises. We have told hospitals to carry out tests for those showing symptoms. There is no reason to panic, the situation is well under control,' Dr Alka Singh, Chief Medical Officer, Gurgaon, told The Indian Express last month. 'It (Covid) is an endemic (disease) now. Many people with symptoms are likely to test positive,' Dr Singh had added. Following a recent spike in Covid-19 cases in Southeast Asia, India too has seen fresh cases, with a majority of them being reported from Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu. However, most of the cases are mild and not associated with severity or mortality. Around the time the second wave of Covid-19 peaked in India, the Haryana government launched a door-to-door screening programme in rural areas across the state on May 15, 2021. By June 3 of that year, over 1.66 crore people had been screened, which was roughly 60 per cent of the state's 2.91 crore population. In May 2021, the transmission rate of the disease was rapidly increasing in rural areas. A survey conducted by the state's health department on Covid-19 patients admitted to various hospitals revealed that 68 per cent were from urban areas, while 32 per cent were from rural areas. During the second wave, Haryana imposed a one-week lockdown on May 3, 2021), which was extended multiple times. However, as new cases continued to decline, the state government gradually relaxed various restrictions.
