GUWAHATI, May 23: Health Minister Ashok Singhal on Friday handed over certificates for establishing surrogacy clinics to five hospitals in the state, asserting that it is a step towards bringing the process of surrogacy under government regulation.
Singhal said the Assam government is dedicated to creating a transparent and accountable system that guarantees access to advanced reproductive services for couples in need.
The certificates for establishing Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) clinics, ART banks and surrogacy clinics were provided to Apollo Fertility, Down Town Hospital, GMCH Fertility and IVF Centre, and The Institute of Human Reproduction – all in Guwahati – and Swasti Hospital in Rangia.
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The minister said the certification reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring safe, ethical and high-quality reproductive care, an official statement said.
It follows the implementation of the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021 and the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021 by the Union government, along with their corresponding rules notified in 2022.
In alignment with these national regulations, the Assam government established the State Assisted Reproductive Technology and Surrogacy Board and the Appropriate Authority for ART and Surrogacy in December 2023.
To facilitate the application process for institutions seeking to establish ART and surrogacy services, the Appropriate Authority launched a state-wide drive through newspaper advertisements on January 30, 2025.
Once verified, the institutions are inspected by the Appropriate Authority before receiving certification.
Earlier this year, the first certificate was issued to an intending couple and surrogate mother after evaluation by the District Medical Board in Dibrugarh, marking the beginning of regulated surrogacy services in Assam, the statement added. (PTI)
