Women forced to lie on floor in squalid conditions after surgery in MP

Women who underwent surgery at a sterilisation camp at Prithvipur Community Health Centre in MP’s Tikamgarh district, were forced to rest in squalid conditions at the camp.

Women who underwent surgery at a sterilisation camp at Prithvipur Community Health Centre in MP’s Tikamgarh district, were forced to rest in squalid conditions at the camp.

Woman patients were forced to lie on ground during the sterilisation camp held at Prithvipur Community Health Centre on Monday. (HT photo)

In the absence of basic amenities, around 130 women who underwent surgeries at the camp on Monday afternoon, had to lie down on the dirty cement floor, under open sky, with garbage spread nearby and street dogs roaming about.

The women had to rest for at least 2-3 hours, before they could travel back home. Several women had travelled to the community centre from neighbouring villages to undergo sterilisation.

The patients’ kin said they had to clean the floor, make beddings, bring drinking water and other necessary items from the market themselves.

Pramod Kushwaha, resident of Phiston Chapar village, said his wife Jyanti Devi, 24, faced a lot of hardship after the surgery. “There was no proper place for her to rest. I had to bring milk and biscuits from the market myself, the hospital provided nothing.” Mahendra Kushwaha of Manikpur village shared same problems as his wife underwent surgery.

When HT tried to contact Prithvipur block medical officer Dr Hemant Pancholi, he did not receive the call despite repeated attempts. Dr AK Tiwari, chief medical and health officer of Tikamgarh, said he couldn’t talk as he was at a minister’s place.

It may be mentioned that earlier Tikamgarh district had witnessed death of several women who took sterilisation surgeries.