Staff Reporter, Guwahati: In a significant stride towards ethical and regulated reproductive healthcare, Assam Health Minister Ashok Singhal on Friday issued official certificates to five hospitals in the state, authorizing them to establish Surrogacy and Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) clinics. The newly certified institutions include Apollo Fertility, Down Town Hospital, GMCH Fertility and IVF Centre, and The Institute of Human Reproduction—all based in Guwahati—as well as Swasti Hospital in Rangia. “These certified facilities are now authorized to set up ART clinics, ART banks, and surrogacy clinics under strict government supervision,” Minister Singhal announced during the certification ceremony. “This marks a new era of ethical assisted reproduction in Assam.” The initiative aligns with the central government's enforcement of the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021, and the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, along with rules notified in 2022. In accordance with these national laws, Assam established its State Assisted Reproductive Technology and Surrogacy Board and the Appropriate Authority for ART and Surrogacy in December 2023. Minister Singhal emphasized that the government’s priority is to ensure transparency, accountability, and strict legal compliance in the field of assisted reproduction. “Our goal is to offer a safe, ethical, and accessible path to parenthood for those in need,” he said. The move is expected to benefit thousands of couples grappling with infertility, giving them renewed hope while ensuring that procedures are carried out with the highest medical and ethical standards. The state’s proactive approach places it among the early adopters of the new legal framework governing ART and surrogacy, setting a benchmark for reproductive health services in the region.
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