Hazaribag Tubectomy Scandal: Saiya Claims Medical Lapses, MP Promises Action

Hazaribag: A sahiya of the Keredari community health centre (CHC), Sarita Devi, who was issued a show-cause notice for allegedly recording and making public a tubectomy operation conducted under mobile phone flashlights here on Dec 13, met Hazaribag MP Manish Jaiswal on Tuesday, and complained that the hospital authorities were making her a scapegoat for medical lapses at the healthcare centre.

In her complaint, Sarita claimed that there was no doctor in the team which conducted the tubectomy processes on Dec 13 at the CHC.


Jaiswal promised to speak to the officials concerned, including district civil surgeon Dr Ashok Kumar, for the lapses in the CHC. “You take proper action and withdraw the notice served to the sahiya; otherwise, I will take further action in this regard,” he said.

The MP, however, said, “Videography inside the OT showing patients’ faces was not right. But the allegations raised by the sahiya are serious. I will demand strict action against those responsible. Even a report about a tubectomy of a pregnant woman is another serious matter,” he added.

Meanwhile, Dr Ashok Kumar failed to reply to Jaiswal as to why there was no doctor in the team.

The sahiya also submitted a complaint against the notice to the office of the DC Shashi Prakash Singh, levelling charges against Dr Vinay Kumar, one of the three doctors at the CHC, for misbehaving with the women staff, besides coming to duty allegedly in an inebriated condition. She attached copies of earlier complaints made by the women staff against Dr Kumar. She even claimed that the medical officer in charge of the CHC, Dr Nafis Anjum, misbehaved with the women staff and sought a proper inquiry.

The CHC hit the headlines after a viral video of a tubectomy conducted on Dec 13 under mobile light went viral on Sunday. Later, it was also found that on the same day, another tubectomy was performed under similar conditions on a pregnant woman identified as Kanchan Devi.

Civil surgeon Dr Ashok Kumar, however, clarified on Tuesday that Kanchan had delivered a girl child on Dec 2. “Pregnancy tests can remain positive even after delivery,” he said.

However, a retired doctor on condition of anonymity said that though the woman had delivered a baby on Dec 2 and if her pregnancy test came positive, it was not right to take up the tubectomy surgery, saying it was against the protocol.

On alleged lapses in the operating theatre during the tubectomy processes, Dr Ashok Kumar said an outsourcing agency was entrusted with conducting the procedures, and it was the responsibility of the agency to deploy doctors and nurses.

Speaking to TOI, Sarita claimed that she was not inside the operating theatre (OT) when the tubectomy procedure was underway. She said there was no proper arrangement, and a five-to-six-member team from an outsourcing agency, Green Youth Foundation, was conducting the surgery when a sudden power failure occurred.

“I heard the cries of a patient and rushed into the OT, whose door had been broken for weeks. I saw surgeries being conducted using mobile phone flashlights. I can say without hesitation that there was no doctor in the team,” she claimed.

Sarita also claimed that the surgery was being carried out around 7:26 pm and that the three doctors posted at the CHC were absent. “That is why I objected. Instead of making me a scapegoat, officials should check the CCTV footage, and the truth will come out,” she added.



Get an chance to win ₹5000 Amazon Voucher by taking part in India's Biggest Habit Index! Take the survey here

Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Merry Christmas wishes, messages and quotes !