Karnataka health dept probe reveals surge in illegal sale of MTP kits

Bengaluru: A preliminary investigation conducted by the state health department officials has revealed a staggering surge in female foeticide across Mandya district, where over 6,000 Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) kits have been sold on the black market at inflated prices in the last one year, officials familiar with the matter said.

According to Assistant Drug Controller M Khalid, between January 1, 2023 and December 12, 2023, a staggering 6,626 MTP kits were sold across 12 wholesale drug stores in the district. These kits, containing mifepristone and misoprostol tablets with a face value of ₹440, were found to have been sold at a shocking markup reaching up to ₹1,000-2,000 per kit, he added.

Investigators attribute the surge in feticide cases in the district to the illegal sale of these kits without the requisite doctor’s consultation card.

Khalid said apart from the 12 wholesale drug stores, MTP kits were also being illicitly traded in smaller drug shops across the district. “Out of a total 30 wholesale drug stores, only 12 have reported the sale of these kits, prompting the health department to issue notices to the remaining 18 vendors. The estimated sale of over 15,000 kits underscores the gravity of the situation, with further investigation needed to ascertain the full extent of the illegal trade,” he added.

A health department official aware of the development said the probe report suggested strict measures to curb the practice, recommending that wholesale and retail drug stores should furnish a doctor’s consultation card and bill of sale for each MTP kit sold, failing which they should be held accountable for feticide cases.

Mandya district health officer K Mohan told HT: “Investigation into allegations of feticide is ongoing, with close monitoring of the activities of wholesale drug sellers and retailers. As a preventive measure, MTP kits are being closely regulated by the health department to curb the alarming trend of female feticide in Mandya.”

However, people familiar with the matter said, people are now sourcing MTP kits from neighbouring districts, posing a fresh challenge for authorities.

On October 15 last year, a large-scale female feticide racket, being carried out by doctors and brokers, was uncovered at a farm house in Mandya.

During a routine inspection, Byappanahalli police encountered a suspicious vehicle, in which a pregnant woman confessed to having undergone a sex determination test. Subsequently, four men, suspected members of a female foeticide ring, were apprehended.

After an extensive two-month investigation, Bengaluru police arrested nine people, including two doctors, who revealed a staggering 242 instances of female foeticide over three months.

The probe involved scrutiny of the call detail records of the four detained suspects, leading investigators to villages in Mandya and Mysuru districts. This trail eventually exposed Matha Hospital in Mysuru and its alleged mastermind, Dr Chandan Ballal, along with accomplices.

Brokers facilitated connections between the hospital receptionist, Rizma, and pregnant women seeking sex determination and abortion services. The modus operandi involved directing clients to a converted jaggery processing unit in Mandya, serving as an ultrasound scan centre, with subsequent referrals to Matha Hospital for abortions if the foetus was female.

Regarding Matha Hospital’s operations, it came to light that Dr Ballal, in collaboration with Dr Tulasiram, allegedly orchestrated an elaborate scheme involving exorbitant charges for abortions and sex determination, resulting in transactions exceeding ₹2 crore over the years.

After the October incident, the health department tightened norms and issued a circular to all health officials in the district to set up task forces and check illegal clinics and scanning centres.

“We are visiting every drug distributor shop in Mandya district and collecting details of MTPs distributed to various retail medical shops,” Mandya district assistant drug controller Dr M Khalid told HT.

He said an investigation is underway and we will find out exactly how many MTPs are sold in the district in two days as we collect data from druggists. He said if any medical stores are found guilty of selling the kits without the prescriptions of doctors, we will initiate severe action and even recommend cancelling licences.

Since the last three months, the Health Department in Karnataka has ramped up its efforts to crack down on illegal medical establishments, uncovering a staggering 1,093 clinics operating without proper authorization across various parts of the state.

The initiative comes in response to alarming cases of foetal sex determination tests and female foeticide reported in different regions last year. Complaints flooded the department regarding the operation of clinics without the necessary licences, registrations, and qualifications.

In light of these concerns, authorities directed a concerted effort to take action against unauthorised treatment centres under the purview of the Karnataka Private Medical Institutions Regulation Act (KPME).

As a result, by the conclusion of the previous year, the detection of fake clinics had gained momentum, with a total of 1,775 unlicensed practitioners identified. Under the KPME Act, it is mandatory for all private medical institutions in the state to be duly registered. However, numerous establishments have been found providing medical services without the requisite registration. Furthermore, many of these practitioners lack the necessary qualifications to practice medicine, yet they operate clinics and laboratories unofficially.

A dedicated team of health department officials has been conducting thorough inspections of such establishments, revealing that the majority of the clinics identified during these raids were operating without proper licences.