In a case related to illegal oocyte sale in which the Health Department ordered action against four hospitals, the scan centre at Sudha Hospitals in the city was sealed by health officials here on Friday.
A team led by R. Premakumari, Joint Director of Health Services, Erode district, went to the hospital at 1.30 p.m. Scan machines in various floors were shifted to the scan centre functioning on the hospital premises and the centre was sealed. Police personnel were posted outside the hospital and the sealing process took more than five hours.
Following the 16-year-old girl’s complaint to the police that she was forced to sell her oocytes to private hospitals using a forged Aadhaar card, the police registered a case and arrested four persons in June. Also, a team led by A. Viswanathan, Joint Director of Medical and Rural Health Services, conducted inquiries with the girl, four accused, staff and doctors at Sudha Hospitals in Erode and Salem, Rama Prasad Hospital at Perundurai and Vijay Hospital at Hosur. Also, an inquiry was conducted with two hospital staff in Tirupathi and Thiruvananthapuram. The team submitted a report to the Department of Health and Family Welfare on July 7.
On Thursday, Health Minister Ma. Subramanian told media persons that six hospitals had violated various provisions and the scan centres at four hospitals would be closed immediately and further action would be initiated.
