Surrogacy Photo:VCG

Wuhan Puren Hospital in Central China’s Hubei Province, which is suspected of involvement in surrogacy practices, has been fined 50,000 yuan ($7,011) and received a warning due to several violations, including inadequate real-name verification procedures for pregnant women during treatment, according to media reports on Tuesday. 

Information from data provider Tianyancha said that the Wuhan local health authorities gave the punishment to the hospital on December 27, as the hospital failed to implement the required medical quality and safety management system. The hospital also failed to complete medical records according to regulations and conducted non-standard diagnostic and treatment practices.

In November, an anti-human trafficking volunteer nicknamed Shangguan Zhengyi, who has more than 310,000 followers on social media, reported that some intermediary organizations were working with the hospital on surrogacy.
 
The Wuhan Municipal Health Commission has suspended the hospital from releasing birth certificate qualifications, according to a statement released by the commission on November 28. Another institute involved in the case, Wuhan Ruiboxiang Judicial Appraisal Institute, has been suspended from providing judicial appraisal services as well, said the commission, adding that an investigation has been carried out.

Wuhan Puren Hospital was established in 1955. After nearly seventy years of development, it has become a large modern comprehensive hospital, according to its official website.

Shangguan wrote on Weibo on Tuesday that “We look forward to Wuhan authorities reporting the results of their investigation to the public: how many [suspected] illegal surrogacy cases have been uncovered?”
 
In November, arrest warrants were issued for six suspects including the director of Xiangyang Jianqiao Hospital, as the hospital had reportedly been selling medical birth certificates, Xiangyang city authorities in Hubei Province announced.

Global Times