Action against 13 for botched up tubectomy

Hyderabad: The state government on Sunday ordered disciplinary action against 13 persons, including the superintendent (now under suspension) of the community health centre (CHC) in Ranga Reddy district Ibrahimpatnam, where four women died after a tubectomy procedure on August 25.

It has also ordered filing of criminal cases against a surgeon of the CHC, district medical and health officer (DMHO), deputy DMHO, deputy civil surgeon, head nurse, medical officers and supervisors who were found to be at fault.

The inquiry report released on Saturday detailed a slew of recommendations, including 24-hour post operative care at the facility, follow-up visits by supervisors for a week, latest infection control procedures and protocols, refresher training for supervisors, quarterly review of sterilisation services and activities, and yearly skill assessment for surgeons, to be followed.

Not more than 30 operations should be performed in one hospital in a day following quality standards, the superintendents who are the chairman of the infection control committee in the respective hospitals should review the prevention and control of infection every Monday. It however did not divulge the findings of the report.

The government had formed a committee headed by the Director of Public Health to inquire and give a report. The DMHO (District Medical Health Officer) and DCHS (District Coordinator of Health Services) of Rangareddy district Jhansi Lakshmi were transferred.

Jhansi Lakshmi has been asked to report at Shadnagar Hospital. The Kondapur area hospital superintendent Dr Varadachary has been given additional charge as DCHS of Ibrahimpatnam. The Ibrahimpatnam hospital superintendent Dr Sridhar, who is under suspension, would also face disciplinary action. A criminal case would be booked against Dr Joel Sunil Kumar who performed the procedure.