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21 caesarians in 2 days, Kerala orders probe
Doctors at a government hospital in Cherthala, Kerala, conducted 21 caesarian surgeries in two days, Tuesday and Wednesday, to be able to celebrate Easter holidays unhindered.
Doctors at a government hospital in Cherthala, Kerala, conducted 21 caesarian surgeries in two days, Tuesday and Wednesday, to be able to celebrate Easter holidays unhindered.
This, when the taluk hospital in Alapuzha district barely has facilities to conduct six such surgeries a day, and does not even have proper post-natal facilities.
The state on Friday constituted an expert committee to probe the issue.
The matter came to light after some patients complained that the doctors forced them to advance their deliveries. “It is a serious issue. The state medical director has constituted a high-level team to probe this. The district collector has also been asked to submit a report,” state health minister PK Sreemati said.
The Hospital superintendent admitted that 21 operations were held in two days.
“April 23 was fixed as my sister’s delivery date. But the gynecologist said it should be advanced by a couple of days to avoid risk. Later hospital staff told us she did it deliberately to avail her leaves,” Subhodharan, a carpenter, said.
Many mothers along with their newborns are lying on the floor as all beds are occupied.
This is not the first time the hospital is hitting the headlines. Last month, two gynecologists had an open fight in the operation room. Though the health vigilance director held an inquiry, no action was taken.
There have been many complaints that normal deliveries are taken to the operation table. The state health department had recently sought a report on the high-rate of caesarian surgeries in the hospital.
