Taking strict action, four nursing homes in Palwal where illegal abortions were being carried out by quacks were raided and sealed by a team of Haryana's Health Department.
The information regarding the nursing homes was received during a weekly meeting of the State Task Force (STF) for improving the sex ratio in Haryana. The meeting was held here on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Sudhir Rajpal.
The meeting focused on intensifying efforts to curb illegal abortions and further improve the state's sex ratio under the 'Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao' campaign. During the meeting, the Additional Chief Secretary directed officials to intensify enforcement against illegal abortion practices and take strict action against doctors found guilty of such violations, including cancellation of their licences.
In one such case, the registration of a doctor from Kurukshetra has been recommended for cancellation by the Haryana Medical Council after being found complicit in malpractices. Rajpal emphasised targeting unqualified practitioners (quacks) involved in illegal abortions, especially in four districts of Karnal, Palwal, Gurugram and Charkhi Dadri. He directed officials to involve the respective Deputy Commissioners and crack down on illegal Medical Termination of Pregnancy centres in these districts.
Officials were directed to actively coordinate with police authorities and request the state's Director General of Police to constitute a dedicated Task Force to combat illegal abortions.
The meeting was informed by the officials that in the past week (May 27 to June 2), inspections were conducted across the state over the illegal sale of MTP kits in which 2 MTP kits were seized and FIR registered.
The number of wholesalers selling MTP kits has been reduced from 32 to 5 within a month in Haryana. The sale trend of MTP kits has seen a significant decline in 16 districts of the state. One firm has also been given notice under Drug and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 for violation of rules and legal proceedings shall be launched against it.
