Eight women have died and some 30 are in a critical condition after mass sterilization at a camp organized by the Chhattisgarh government in Bilaspur, the home district of state Health Minister Amar Agarwal. Chief Minister Raman Singh has ordered the suspension of four top health officials and an FIR or police complaint against Dr RK Gupta, the surgeon who performed the surgeries on Saturday for a free “family planning” camp.
Over 80 women were reportedly operated upon in five hours, at the government-run Nemi Chand hospital in the Pendari area of Bilaspur, about 110 km from state capital Raipur. Some reports suggest all the surgeries were carried out by Dr Gupta and his assistant. On Monday, the women reportedly started complaining of pain and fever and were taken to hospitals in stretchers. By late evening, eight had died. Many relatives protested outside hospitals.
“Reports of a drop in pulse, vomiting and other ailments started pouring in on Monday from the women who underwent surgery,” Sonmani Borah, district commissioner, was quoted as saying by news agency AFP. Mr Borah said 64 women are being treated in various hospitals. Health officials have denied any negligence but some families allege that too many surgeries were performed in one day in a rush to meet targets.
The government has set up a three-member panel to investigate. These camps are held between October and February as part of a larger programme to control India’s billion-plus population. Women who go through the surgery are given Rs. 1,400 by the state. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh tweeted, “8 people die in a Sterilisation Camp in Chattisgarh. Govt must take a stern action against them. Can’t imagine how could this happen? And that too in Health Minister’s Constituency ! He must resign.”
The government has announced Rs. 2 lakh for the families of the women who died and Rs. 50,000 for the others who are in hospital.