Srinagar, July 4: The Health Department has recommended registration of an FIR against the proprietor of Harkaar IVF Centre in Srinagar after fresh irregularities were allegedly detected during an official inspection, while a separate criminal investigation has also been recommended into the death of a woman who died during an IVF procedure at the facility, according to a report by Greater Kashmir.
The report, citing official documents accessed by it, reported that the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Srinagar, informed the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) about the latest findings after the clinic was temporarily de-sealed on Thursday to facilitate the transfer of frozen embryos to another IVF facility.
According to the report, the inspection was conducted under official supervision to ensure that patients undergoing fertility treatment were not adversely affected and to prevent the loss of embryos, financial losses and emotional distress.
During the inspection, officials allegedly discovered an unauthorised ultrasound (USG) machine installed in the recovery room of the clinic. The machine was immediately seized, the report said.
The development comes a day after the Health Department ordered an inquiry into the death of a woman from Baramulla during an IVF procedure at the centre.
The report further stated that an earlier inspection had already recommended a separate criminal investigation into the woman’s death and had flagged several alleged violations, including that the IVF centre was operating from an under-construction building without the required permissions and approvals.
According to the report, authorities also found that an ultrasound machine had allegedly been shifted from another facility in Karan Nagar to the Tengpora centre without mandatory approval under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC&PNDT) Act. The premises where the machine was being used were also reportedly not registered or approved under the Act.
Based on these findings, the CMO has recommended registration of an FIR against the proprietor under the provisions of the PC&PNDT Act, its Rules, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and other applicable laws, the report said.
The frozen embryos have since been shifted to another IVF facility in Hyderpora under the supervision of the CMO and in the presence of the investigating officer to preserve evidence, according to the report.
The inquiry into the alleged medical negligence leading to the woman’s death is still underway and has not yet been completed. The investigation is expected to examine all circumstances surrounding the incident.
The case pertains to the death of a woman from Baramulla during an IVF procedure at Harkaar IVF Centre. Her family has alleged medical negligence and claimed that doctors misled them after she died during the procedure.
