Dr Behera to head 8-member team

Mohit Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 24

Hectic activity was witnessed at the PGI following a report regarding the apex court’s direction asking doctors of the premier institute to examine the 10-year-old rape victim to ascertain if her 26-week-old pregnancy can be terminated.

Speaking to The Tribune, a PGI official said the board had been constituted. “We are awaiting the formal notification,” said the official.

Prof D Behera will chair the eight-member board which includes Prof Vineta Suri, Head of the Department (HoD), Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Prof Surjit, HoD, Paediatrics, Prof Savita Kumari, HoD, Internal Medicine, Dr N Khandelwal from the Department of Radiodiagnosis, Prof Ajit Avasthi, HoD, Psychiatry, Dr Rohit Manoj Kumar, Professor, Dept of Cardiology, while Vipan Koushal, nodal officer, ROTTO, will be the member secretary of the board.

PGI sources said the cardiologist was included in the board following reports that the 10-year-old girl was having some related heath problems. The medical examination of the child will be held on Wednesday.

Former PGI HoD suggests two-month wait

Dr Kala Vashisth, a former HoD, Gynaecology, PGI, suggests two-month wait for the safety and well-being of the girl.

“She is already seven-month pregnant; anything done now will not be safe for both mother and child.  The ideal procedure is to wait for two months more and the girl should be kept under strict medical observation.  Her blood pressure, haemoglobin and other related issues should be monitored regularly. There is a strong possibility that the pelvis of the girl would not be so strong to deliver the child,” said Dr Vashisth.

Sources said in either case — termination or delivery — doctors would have to perform a caesarean.