Bihar: Woman Sterilised Only on Paper in Private Health Camp Held in Sitamarhi PHC

Bihar: Rekha Devi, in her mid-30s, was happy after being sterilised. But her happiness ended soon when she found that her sterilisation was done only on paper at a family planning camp organised in rural Bihar by private agency, Janani. She was shocked, as there was no scar of a small cut either near her belly button (laparoscopy) or just above her pubic hairline (a mini laparotomy). This was confirmed by an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) at the Primary Health Centre (PHC), who examined Rekha and found that she was not sterilized.

Rekha had visited Bokhra PHC in Sitamarhi district after being approached by an accredited social health activist (ASHA) worker for sterilisation. As per the official record, she underwent sterilisation there on December 24. A later, she was discharged from the PHC.

Incidentally, Rekha was administered an injection and given a medicine course after being discharged by the private agency that had organised the female sterilisation camp at the PHC.

“I am disheartened as I was cheated. I was not sterilised but discharged without a formal examination by a doctor. I will never forget this. I am a victim of fake sterilisation”, she NewsClick.

Rekha and her husband Virendra Sahni are residents of Atrar village under Aurai block of neighbouring Muzaffarpur district. They were on a visit to a relative's house in a village under Bokhra block when she was convinced by an ASHA worker to undergo sterilisation at a family planning camp in the PHC. “My wife agreed. But shockingly, we now found out that the sterilisation was not performed. This is unbelievable. It is another example of the poor state of health services” Sahni, who is a farmer, said.

The Bokhra PHC in-charge, Dr Santosh Ranjan, confirmed that Rekha was sterilised only on paper. “The private agency that conducted her sterilisation confessed that it happened due to some mistake. After her family members complained that she was actually not sterilised, I immediately sent an ANM to examine her, and she found no sign of  sterilisation, ” he told NewsClick.

According to Dr Santosh, 17 women, including Rekha, underwent sterilisation on that day at a camp held in the PHC. “Soon after the case of fake sterilisation of Rekha came to our knowledge, the sterilisation camp was closed,” he added.

Sitamarhi Civil Surgeon Dr S C Lal told NewsClick that the incident was a matter of serious concern. “We have decided to lodge an FIR against the private agency that organised the sterilisation camp and performed her sterilisation on paper”, he said.

However, this is not a simple case of medical negligence or carelessness, as is being painted by district health officials. The government needs to investigate into hundreds of women undergoing free sterilisation procedures at different camps across the state, some held by private agencies.

Local Hindi dailies have reported from time to time that several women have alleged getting pregnant despite undergoing sterilisation at government hospitals or camps organised by private agencies.

Sahni said it was only after they submitted a written complaint about the sterilisation not being performed on Rekha to PHC’s health manager, that an ANM Priyanka Kumari was sent to examine and found the complaint to be true. After that she informed health manager Dr Anil Kumar.

“We have found the victim’s complaint true and recommended action against the private agency that performed her sterilisation on paper,” Dr Anil said.

Sahni is thankful to his three minor children, who exposed the fake sterilisation by alerting the elder family members that there was no cut, wound or bandage on their mother’s belly.

“It was a coincidence that when the children were asked not to disturb their mother and maintain a distance from her as she underwent an operation, they raised an alarm and we were forced to examine Rekha and found no sign of a cut or mark of sterilization. She too disclosed that she felt no pain or discomfort that is usually faced by a patient after sterilisation”, he said.

Sahni demanded strict action against the doctor who performed sterilisation on and the agency.

However, the Sitamarhi coordinator of the private agency Janani, Chandrama Prasad, said this was not “something big” and “such things happen”. One case of this nature can be reported if 1,000 sterilisations are performed at camps, he added.

As per the latest National Health Family Survey-5, Bihar has witnessed the highest increase in female sterilisation from 14.1 % points to 38.4 % points. The survey also stated that only 0.1% males are going for sterilisation in the state.

Read Also: Bihar: Women Stare at Darker Future After Botched Cataract Surgeries by Pvt Hospital

Early this month, the poor health infrastructure in Bihar government hospitals was exposed after botched up cataract surgeries in a private hospital in Muzaffarpur. At least 16 poor women and men, most of them elderly, who underwent cataract surgery, lost their vision following severe infection. The private hospital has been accused of negligence and violation of basic guidelines for conducting such operations.

The poor state of public health has also been reflected in NITI Aayog’s fourth health index released two days ago in which Bihar has emerged as the second worst performer.