‘Tubectomy without anaesthesia’: Women’s claims found untrue in probe, says Khagaria DM

A few women had alleged that tubectomy was performed on them at Alouli and Parbatta primary health centres (PHCs) in the district without anaesthesia.

The allegations made by a few women in Khagaria district of Bihar that tubectomy (a permanent method of contraception in women) surgeries were performed on them without administering anaesthesia have been prime facie found to be untrue during the preliminary probe, district magistrate (DM) Alok Ranjan Ghosh said on Friday.

The DM told HT that the women may not have been aware about local anaesthesia as they were awake while the tubectomy was being performed. (Picture for representation)

“The probe report has come. Prima facie, it is clear that the claims made by the women are not true. They may not have been aware about local anaesthesia as they were awake while the tubectomy was being performed,” the DM told HT.

“As per guidelines, such surgeries (tubectomy) require local anaesthesia, which is safe,” he said.

On the complaints from some women that they were forced to sleep on the ground after surgeries, Ghosh said, “It was the lapse of the facility manager and action will be taken against him.”

Talking about the role of NGOs entrusted with the task of tubectomy surgeries, the DM said, “The decision whether the NGOs will be blacklisted or not will be taken at a meeting on Saturday.”

Meanwhile, civil surgeon (CS) Amar Nath Jha said, “Only one woman had complained about the tubectomy without anaesthesia, probably because of lack of awareness as she could not understand about local anaesthesia and got nervous during the surgery.”

A few women had alleged that tubectomy was performed on them at Alouli and Parbatta primary health centres (PHCs) in the district without anaesthesia.

Two NGOs, Global Development Initiative (GDI) and Foundation for Reproductive Health Services (FRHS), have been given licenses to organise tubectomy camps at the two PHCs, where 23 women had recently undergone the procedure.

The CS said the NGOs will be blacklisted if lapses are found on their part. “But we would see no innocent is punished,” he said.

Bihar’s health department allows NGOs to arrange doctors, surgeons, paramedics, and equipment to conduct tubectomies as it faces a shortage of specialists.

The women’s allegations, shared widely on social media, had triggered a widespread outrage.

On Thursday, the National Commission for Women (NCW) had sought revoking the medical licence of doctors who reportedly conducted the tubectomies without anaesthesia and sought a report.