The families of the women who died of complications after the surgery have been promised, among other things, 2BHK homes.
Published Aug 30, 2022 | 2:59 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 30, 2022 | 2:59 PM
The double puncture laparoscopy (DPL) technique was applied to all 34 patients during the sterilisation surgery. (Creative Commons)
Four women died after undergoing sterilisation surgery at a government-organised family-planning camp at Ibrahimpatnam in Telangana’s Rangareddy district.
The sterilisation camp was organised on 25 August at the Ibrahimpatnam Civil Hospital. The double-puncture laparoscopy (DPL) technique was applied to all 34 patients during the sterilisation surgery.
While 30 were discharged and are stable, four patients complained of acute gastroenteritis after the surgery and approached private hospitals for treatment.
Initial reports on Monday said two of the women had died. By the end of the day, all four had died due to complications that arose after the surgery.
The Telangana government has announced that the families of all four women who died of complications after the surgery will receive a 2BHK house each, besides other forms of compensation.
“For the families of the deceased, compensation has been released by the Government of Telangana — ex gratia of ₹5 lakh, 2BHK for the family of the deceased, and admission of surviving children in residential school,” Telangana’s Director of Public Health Dr G Srinivasa Rao told reporters on Tuesday, 30 August.
“Post mortem examination was conducted for four deceased persons. We sent a medical team to the remaining 30 people’s homes and got them checked up. Seven of them were diagnosed with problems and have been shifted to Apollo Hospital. They do not have any life-threatening condition,” he added.
He also said that the government has constituted a committee of five experts headed by him to identify the cause of the incident. “In seven days we will submit the report,” said the DPH.
Rao told reporters that the superintendent of the Ibrahimpatnam hospital had been suspended by the government. “Also, the medical council has temporarily cancelled the licence of the doctor who performed the surgery. The cause of death will be known only after investigation,” he said.
Meanwhile, when asked if the women had been forced to undergo surgery to fulfil targets, Rao said family planning operations in the state have not had any such quota since 2016, and only people who volunteer for them undergo the procedures.
“We conducted 1.1 lakh sterilisation operations in 2021-22. A total of 38,656 surgeries were performed in 111 camps from April to July this year. Such incidents of failure are recorded once in a while,” said Rao, referring to the death of the four women.
