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Over 100 women made to lie on health centre floor after sterilisation procedure
The camp had just 33 beds for patients, so patients were made to lie down on the floor after the operation
More than 100 women were forced to lie on the cold floor after undergoing sterilisation during a family planning camp at the Baseri primary health centre in Dholpur on Monday.
When pointed out that such an act could be deemed insensitive, additional chief medical and health officer BL Sahu said the centre’s 33 beds were meant for patients – not those participating in the sterilisation camp. “However, we did spread blankets on the floor before asking them to lie down,” he added.
The women were told to return home later that evening.
Navratan Koli, sub-division officer of Baseri sub-division, said he was not aware of the district health department organising such a camp. “However, forcing women who have just undergone a surgical procedure to lie down on the floor is wrong. A probe will be ordered into the matter,” he added.
Sources said auxiliary nurses, midwives and anganwadi workers were sent out to bring women in for sterilisation.
Village sarpanch Khidora Dhruvendra accused the health department of negligence. “The department should have provided enough beds to women who came to the camp,” he said.
As many as 105 women had come from adjacent villages – including Boreli, Mahugulabali, Kunkuta, Nadanpur, Banora, Siholi, Salempur, Bagthar and Khidora – to undergo sterilisation.
A similar situation was witnessed at the community health centre in Sikri, Bharatpur, when 65 women were made to lie on the floor after sterilisation.
