Pvt hospital in Chennai shut down for performing illegal abortion & giving psychiatric treatment
It has been reported that psychiatric treatment was also given by the hospital to patients without proper approval from the state health department.
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CHENNAI: A private hospital in Kodambakkam has been shut down by the state health department after the hospital allegedly performed illegal abortion and other irregularities.
It has been reported that psychiatric treatment was also given by the hospital to patients without proper approval from the state health department.
A complaint regarding the incident was made to the Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, under the Pre- Conception and Pre- Natal Diagnostics Techniques Act, 1994 and Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services. An inquiry committee was constituted by the DMS to investigate the allegations of illegal abortion and improper psychiatric treatment.
A direct inspection was carried out by the committee at the hospital on 02 May, 2024, and it was found that scan registers were not properly maintained in the hospital. The hospital did not submit the monthly reports to the government and form-F for pregnant women was not maintained properly.
Due to the irregularities, the hospital management was asked for an explanation by the District Enforcement Officer, PCPNDT Act, 1994. The clarification letter by the hospital was given on 17 May, 2024 and it was unrelated to the issues pointed out by the inquiry committee and responses were unsatisfactory.
Thereafter, the inquiry committee again carried out a direct examination in the hospital. The committee found out that there is no proper staff to manage the hospital, as against the Tamil Nadu Private Clinical Establishments (Regulation), Act.
The hospital was found to not have proper permission for the staff working at the hospital. It was found that the abortions were conducted without consent and without proper gynecologists and obstetricians on duty. The anesthetists and physicians were not available on duty in case of emergencies.
The hospital had also violated the Mental Healthcare Act - 2017, by providing psychiatric treatment without proper approval.
The hospital also lacked adequate infrastructure in the hospital including Generator, Defibrillator and Ventilator in the emergency department, as in violation of the Clinical Establishments Act.
The DMS has temporarily cancelled the registration certificate issued to the hospital and the hospital was shut down.