Botched FP surgeries at Ibrahimpatnam: Criminal case ordered against surgeon

Hyderabad: The government has directed officials to file a criminal case on a surgeon and to initiate action against 13 medical officials over the death of four women after botched tubectomies in a government hospital in Ibrahimpatnam on August 25. It has also clarified that family planning surgeries will be provided as part of hospital services and won’t be performed in camps.

Four women died and 30 were hospitalised after undergoing a double puncture laparoscopy (DPL) at a family planning camp in Ibrahimpatnam. The health, medical and family welfare department issued a memo to file a criminal case against Dr Joel Sunil Kumar, DPL surgeon, who conducted the surgeries.

The department issued GO 594 as per which Ranga Reddy DMHO Dr Swarajya Lakshmi was transferred as joint director in the office of the commissioner of health and family welfare, on administrative grounds.

The government also issued GO 595 by which Dr Jhansi Lakshmi was relieved from her post of in-charge district coordinator of hospital services, Ranga Reddy district, and directed to report to her original post of civil surgeon specialist, community health centre, Shadnagar.

Memos were issued directing officials concerned to initiate disciplinary action under Rule 20 of Telangana Civil Services against both Dr Swarajya Lakshmi and Dr Jhansi Lakshmi.

Disciplinary proceedings have been ordered against 10 other officials, Dr Naga Jyothi, deputy DMHO, Ibrahimpatnam; Chandrakala, head nurse, CHC, Ibrahimpatnam; Dr Geetha, deputy civil surgeon, CHC, Ibrahimpatnam; Dr Srinivas, PHC medical officers Dr Kiran, Dr Poonam and Dandumailaram, Alivelu and Mangamma, Jayalatha, and Janakamma, all PHC supervisors.

The director of public health Dr G. Srinivasa Rao in his inquiry report has made several recommendations that the government has asked to be implemented. One of the measures is to make family planning surgeries an integral part of the hospital service delivery system.

In addition to this, a surgeon or an institute can perform only 30 family planning surgeries on a single day. Officials have to follow up with patients, who have undergone surgeries