CHENNAI: Following the controversial video of YouTuber Mohammed Irfan cutting the umbilical cord of his new-born girl child in an operation theatre, the Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services (DMS) on Wednesday barred the private hospital in Shollinganallur from providing any medical services, except for antenatal mothers’ care, for 10 days starting from Thursday and slapped a fine of Rs 50,000.
The DMS also recommended the Tamil Nadu Medical Council (TMC) take action against the doctors who allowed the YouTuber inside the operation theatre with a camera and cut the umbilical cord of the newborn.
Director of Medical and Rural Health Services Dr J Rajamoorthy said the Clinical Establishment Act Registration of the Rainbow Children’s Hospital in Sholinganallur is withdrawn and the hospital is barred from all patient care activities except for the antenatal mothers who are on continuous treatment.
The action was taken under u/s 5(2) of the Tamil Nadu Private Clinical Establishments (Regulation) Act. A penalty of Rs 50,000 under u/s 8(2) of the same Act was also imposed on the hospital in view of the unacceptable surgical procedure which was conducted by a non-medical person in a registered clinical establishment.
The YouTuber released the video of his wife’s delivery on October 19. The video was shot in July, covering his wife’s hospital stay, and subsequent caesarean section. After the baby was born, the doctor was seen handing over the surgical scissors to the YouTuber who then went on to cut the umbilical cord.
Later, he removed the video. The YouTuber in May, posted a video in which he revealed the sex of his unborn child. The directorate then issued a show cause notice to him for violating provisions of the Pre Conception and Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques, Act 1994. He was let off after he tendered an apology.