Bilaspur, Nov 12: Eleven mothers died and 34 were reported critical on Tuesday after undergoing “faulty” sterilisation surgeries at a government-organised family planning camp in Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh.
Eighty three women underwent the procedure in five hours at the free sterilisation camp, organised by the Bilaspur district health department on November 8, at the Nemichand Jain hospital.
“Around 60 women fell sick after the surgery and were admitted to different hospitals in Bilaspur,”said District Collector S.K. Pardeshi.
“I had two babies in the last three years and wanted to go in for family planning. I got to know the district administration had organised a free camp and I underwent the sterilisation surgery on Saturday. Twelve hours after the operation, I started vomiting,” Deepa Yadav, 22, said.
Sarojini Kewat (26), a mother of four, said she started vomiting a few hours after the surgery while Hemlata Suryavanshi (25), a mother of three, said she developed breathing problems.
Chief Minister Raman Singh visited the victims at Bilaspur hospitals and suspended four health officials, including Health Director Kamalpreet Singh and Bilaspur Chief Medical Officer Dr. S.C. Bhange.
Mr. Singh has ordered an inquiry, besides announcing a compensation of Rs. 4 lakh each for the families of the deceased and Rs. 50,000 each for those who fell ill after the surgery. Health and Family Welfare Minster Amar Agrawal, who represents Bilaspur in the Assembly, took “complete moral responsibility” but said that there was no question of resigning.
Unhygienic conditions led to deaths: Congress
The Congress lashed out at the Chhattisgarh government on Tuesday over the death of 11 women due to “faulty sterilisation” in Bilaspur district on November 8.
“Medicines past their expiry date were given to the patients and the surgeries were conducted in an extremely unhygienic place which led to the deaths. This is criminal negligence on the part of the government,” State Congress president Bhupesh Baghel told reporters in Bilaspur after visiting the victims at a hospital here.
Congress leader and Bilaspur Mayor Vani Rao alleged that more than 18 women have died but “the government is deliberately hiding the facts. They admitted patients to different hospitals to conceal the facts.”
Congress workers protested against the State government and demanded resignation of Chief Minister Raman Singh and Health Minister Amar Agrawal and lodged an FIR against the duo at a police station in Bilaspur. “How can they conduct 83 surgeries in five hours when each surgery takes at least 20 minutes?,” asked Mr. Baghel. District Collector S.K. Pardeshi denied the allegations and said the cause of death would be known only after post-mortem.
Four health officials, including a senior surgeon and a Chief Medical Health Officer, were suspended in connection with the death of eight women, who succumbed to botched surgeries held at a government-organised sterilisation camp in Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur district.
"Chief Medical and Health Officer, Bilaspur Dr R K Bhange, laparoscopic surgeon Dr R K Gupta, State Programme Convener, family planning Dr K C Urao and Block Medical Officer (BMP), Takhatpur Dr Pramod Tiwari have been suspended," Chief Minister Raman Singh said today after visiting women hospitalised at various facilities.
Also, the CM has issued directives to register an FIR against Dr R K Gupta, under whose supervision the camp was held and the surgeries were performed.
Not ruling out negligence on the part of doctors, Singh promised stern action against those found guilty after the probe.
"Its a very unfortunate incident. Prime facie it appears that incident occurred due to negligence (by doctors). A detailed enquiry will be conducted into it keeping in view all the angles, including the quality of the medicines at the camp, standard of the surgery, post operatives measures and others," Singh said.
A three member committee has been constituted to investigate the incident, he said.
Besides, Singh increased the compensation amount to Rs 4 lakh from Rs 2 lakh, announced earlier to the kin of each of the victims.
Compensation of Rs 50,000 and free treatment will be provided to those who are hospitalised.
Eight women died and 52 others have been hospitalised after undergoing surgeries at the sterilisation camp held under national family planning programme at a private hospital in Pendari village on outskirts of Bilaspur town on November 8.
About 83 women had undergone surgeries at the camp held at Nemichand Jain Cancer and Research Centre at Pendari in Takhatpur region.
The women were discharged after providing medicines on Saturday night but within 24 hours of the surgery, most of them complained of vomiting and abdominal pain following which 60 of them were rushed to different hospitals. Out of them eight died after their condition deteriorated, said Bilaspur Collector Siddharth Komal Pardeshi.
The deceased were all below 32 years of age. The condition of at least 10 others was stated to be critical, officials said.
All women were residents of nearby villages. During treatment, two of them -- Janaki Bai (26) and Dipti Yadav (27) -- who were admitted to Bilaspur district hospital passed away yesterday, the collector said.
Other victims Rekha Nirmalkar, Nembai Suryawanshi, Ranjita, Phool Bai and Chandra Bai, admitted to the Apollo hospital, died last night after their condition worsened, the Collector said.
The identity of one of the victims is still not known. Preliminary examinations suggested that hypovolemic shock or a septic infection may be the cause of death, Deputy Director, Health Services, Amar Singh said, adding that a detailed autopsy report would reveal the exact reason behind the deaths.
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