Serious Lapses In Indian Sterilisation Programme Exposed

An independent investigation into the deaths of 13 Indian women as a result of sterilisation has exposed that doctors reused the same needles and gloves for all patients. The women died at a government-organised sterilisation camp in Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur district (central India) last month.

Eighty-three women were operated on over the course of six hours at a camp. The probe showed that the sterilisation surgeries had been conducted in unhygienic conditions.

None of the staff changed their hand gloves in between the procedures. The same injection needle and syringe, and the suture needle were used for all the cases.”

“Neither were those sterilized nor new needles taken for each case,” a report by four public health organizations said.

Locals initially alleged carelessness and claimed the tubectomy surgeries were rushed. A single doctor and assistant performed all of the tubectomies, according to Indian Media. 

Authorities originally attributed the deaths to post-surgery medication which reportedly contained traces of a chemical found in rat poison.

Many of the women who underwent the sterilizations in Chhattisgarh were paid $23 to have the surgery.

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Bicycle Pump Used As Womb Inflation Device in Odisha

A medical professional allegedly used a bicycle pump to inflate the wombs of 56 women after carrying out the laparoscopic tubectomies, Indian media reported on Wednesday.

The professional from Odisha reportedly said that in the past 10 years he has undertaken at least 60,000 operations using the method. 

“An insufflator must be used to pump carbon dioxide gas into the abdomen of women. The insufflator has an automatic adjustment of gas pressure and flow performance. It keeps the procedure safe,” expert health professionals said.

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Source-Medindia