Nakodar, Mehatpur medical officers to be chargesheeted

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 18

The Health Department will be issuing chargesheets against the Senior Medical Officers (SMOs) of the Sub-Divisional Hospital, Nakodar, and Mehatpur Primary Health Centre for gross negligence in the conduct of their duties.

The Civil Surgeon, Jalandhar, in his report submitted to the Health Department, today held the SMOs of both the Nakodar Sub-Divisional Hospital and Mehatpur Primary Health Centre negligent in the conduct of their duties.

Holding that the negligence in the post-operative care of women amounts to human rights violations, the report from the Jalandhar Civil Surgeon recommended requisite legal action against the SMOs of Nakodar and Mehatpur for negligence in the conduct of their duties. The Health Department also deputed Dr Mukesh Sondhi, Deputy Director, Family Planning and PCPNDT of the state, who also visited the Nakodar hospital to conduct inquiry, to submit a separate independent report.

The Health Department will also be uploading post-sterilisation surgery standard operating procedures on its website tomorrow.

Springing into action after The Tribune report on June 16, Civil Surgeon, Jalandhar, Dr Rakesh Bagga, alongwith the team constituted by him (comprising Assistant Health Officer Dr TP Singh, District Family Welfare Officer Dr Surinder Kumar and Deputy Medical Officer Dr Harpreet Kaur) as well as Deputy Director Dr Sondi visited the Nakodar Sub-Divisional Hospital on Tuesday.

The tubectomy surgeries were conducted by a single surgeon from Jalandhar on June 4. The SMO, Mehatpur, said the demand placed for another doctor by her after 60 patients turned up at the camp couldn’t be met at short notice. The SMO, Mehatpur, said the number of patients escalated since sterilisation (family planning) camps hadn’t been held at Mehatpur because the laparoscopy equipment at Nakodar was non-functional after the last sterilisation camp in April.

Civil Surgeon, Jalandhar, Dr Bagga said, “There is clear negligence on part of the staff. I have submitted my report to the Health Department and further requisite action will be taken by the state.”