Mass Sterilisation Camp Goes Wrong!

Chattisgarh :
11 women have died and over 50 have been hospitalised with 25 reported to be critical following surgery for laparoscopic tubectomies at a government-run camp in the Bilaspur district of Chattisgarh.
4 health officials have been suspended and the Director of Health Services has been transferred by the Chief Minister Raman Singh. Inquires have been ordered.Compensation of Rs 4 lakhs each for the families of the deceased and Rs 50 k each for those who are ill have also been announced.

Reports suggest a single doctor with his staffs performed 83 operations in 5 hours and it is more shocking because tubectomy is a full surgical procedure where the belly is cut open. It takes about 1.5 hours to sterilise the equipment after each procedure.
Population control has been a critical issue in India since 1970s when it became the first country to introduce a National Family Planning Programme.Sterilisation camps, as a part of this policy, are regularly held across India.

The negative aspect is that they often target the poor and uneducated who quite possibly are not even knowledgeable enough to ascertain if clinical standards are not being met.Women are herded like cattle into such camps, with the lure of cash incentives provided by the government. The government also rewards these doctors for meeting targets. Dr Bedi who was speaking at a BBC World programme on the issue yesterday reiterates that these barbaric programmes flout all medical and ethical code of conduct.

The Logical Indian is of the opinion that Government should take cognizance of these deaths and provide better medical facilities and remove target based sterilisation.Sterilisation alone cannot solve the problem,India needs education and awareness especially to women so they can make informed decision