Post News Network
Nabarangpur/Jharigaon, Dec 2: In yet another instance of sterilization norms being flouted, a doctor conducted tubectomy on 62 women in a single day at Ichchapur primary health centre (PHC) under Jharigaon block of Nabarangpur district Monday.
The incident drew sharp criticism from various quarters with the death of 13 women after tubectomy in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, still fresh in the minds of people. That day, 80 women underwent tubectomy at a health centre in a single day.
According to norms, a doctor can conduct sterilisation surgery on 25-30 persons in a single day in a health care centre with all facilities. Besides, such surgeries cannot be conducted after 5 pm.
Chandahandi community health centre officer Dr Harishchandra Singh conducted tubectomy surgeries on 62 women and vasectomy on five men of Mundapadar, Chakalapadar, Badatemara, Chachha, Padalguda and Tanganigaon at the Ichchapur PHC, according to sources. The surgeries were conducted from 10 am Monday to 2.45 am Tuesday, against norms.
The patients alleged that they were not given food at night and were not even provided breakfast Tuesday morning. Bandages, needles, cotton and other items used in the surgeries were thrown behind the PHC instead of being buried.
Besides, as there were only two beds in the hospital, the patients had to spend the night on the hospital verandah. Several patients even had to sleep under the open sky as the space in the verandah was not enough to accommodate them.
As news of the irregularities spread, a vehicle was arranged in a hurry next morning and the patients had to go home in that solitary vehicle like gunny sacks. No arrangement was made to drop the five women of Tanginigaon home and the women had to spend the night outside the hospital.
No preparatory meeting was conducted in the hospital before the camp. The doctor concerned even failed to say how many persons had registered for the surgeries and the budget estimated for the purpose.
During interaction with media persons, the doctor insisted that the surgery camp was conducted in two days — Sunday and Monday.
There is poor infrastructure in the PHC. Irregular power supply and frequent disruption is a major problem here. That part, no employee of National Rural health Mission was present during the surgeries.
