Inquiry ordered into fake abortion registrations in tribal villages of Eluru district

More than 70 instances of fake abortion registrations have been identified in tribal villages of Eluru district, prompting serious concern among officials. The reasons behind the fraudulent entries were not immediately known.

The Andhra Pradesh Women’s Commission has ordered a comprehensive inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the Agency mandals. The issue came to light after officials of the K. R. Puram Integrated Tribal Development Agency submitted a report during a review meeting, stating that as many as 281 abortions were registered within nine months in the ITDA limits. Acting on the report, District Collector K. Vetri Selvi has ordered an inquiry.

Women’s Commission Chairperson Rayapati Sailaja said that fake abortion registrations were reported from several villages including Doramamidi 2, Dharbagudem, Tatiyakulagudem, Chirrivarigudem, P. Chimalavarigudem, Kotanagavaram, Gottalarevu, Tellamvarigudem, K. R. Puram, K. Pattiseema, Gunjavaram, Gutala 2, Paidvarigudem and Kommugudem, which fall under the jurisdiction of Primary Health Centres in Jeelugumilli, Doramamidi, Kamayyapalem and LND Peta.

According to the Commission, Medical and Health Department staff allegedly failed to conduct mandatory urine pregnancy tests and other medical examinations, but went ahead with registering pregnancies and subsequent abortions. After a few days, the records reportedly showed that the pregnancies had been terminated due to excessive bleeding, stomach pain or other health complications.

Ms. Sailaja said that officials from the Women Development and Child Welfare Department and the Women’s Commission conducted door to door visits in the affected villages. During the interactions, several women stated that they had never conceived.

A Child Development Project Officer, who examined the issue, said the reasons for the fake entries were yet to be ascertained. In several cases, the same staff members who registered the pregnancies also recorded that the pregnancies had been aborted.

Ms. Sailaja said a detailed report would be submitted to the Medical and Health Secretary, the Commissioner and other senior officials. She further stated that Mother and Child Protection cards and Anti Natal Care registration numbers were issued to women who were not pregnant, raising serious questions about monitoring and accountability within the system.