Defective test kits label 13-year-old pregnant in Karnataka; KSHRC pulls up doc

Mangaluru: A defective batch of govt-supplied pregnancy test kits led to a 13-year-old girl being wrongly identified as pregnant at a primary health centre (PHC) in Dakshina Kannada.The girl had visited the PHC on July 1, 2025, with fever and severe vomiting. A urine pregnancy test conducted twice at the centre reportedly showed positive results, and she was referred to a taluk hospital. However, tests at a private hospital and later at a govt hospital confirmed she was not pregnant.After her father filed a complaint with the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC), district health authorities conducted an inquiry. The report noted that although the initial tests showed positive results, the doctor should have maintained confidentiality and waited for confirmatory scanning before disclosing the information. Based on the findings, the administrative medical officer of the PHC received a warning and was directed to exercise greater caution.District health and family welfare officer Dr HR Thimmaiah said complaints had been received about a defective batch of pregnancy kits, and additional kits were procured locally for confirmation tests. He added that while the test was conducted due to concerns over minor pregnancies in the region, the doctor "failed to act prudently."3,500 cases pending before KSHRCActing chairman of KSHRC, T Sham Bhat, said that around 3,500 cases are currently pending before the Commission. He noted that nearly 8,000 cases were pending between Feb and Nov 2023, before the present members assumed office.He told reporters Wednesday that the commission had visited 25 districts to hear public grievances and will visit Udupi Thursday. KSHRC receives about 600 to 700 complaints every month, mostly related to illegal police detention, prison suicides, and similar issues. In Mangaluru, of the 29 complaints received, reports were obtained in 27 cases.Bhat also said some organisations are misusing the name of "human rights" for personal gain and threatening officials. KSHRC has directed the police to act on such complaints and has asked the registrar of cooperative societies to ensure that registered organisations submit annual reports and to examine violations.