Supreme Court to pronounce judgement on unsafe, unethical sterilization today

The Supreme Court will on Tuesday pronounce its judgement on a PIL challenging inhuman sterilisations, particularly in rural areas, which are prevailing with reckless disregard for the lives of poor women.

The apex court had issued notice to all states and Union Territories for its response.

Petitioner and health rights activist Devika Biswas revealed the gruesome details of a January 2012 sterilisation camp at the Kaparfora Government Middle School, Araria District in a February 2012 fact-finding report.

With the explicit permission of the State Health Society, an NGO and a private doctor used the government middle school as an operating theatre for at least 53 sterilisation surgeries on poor, dalit, and scheduled caste women.

In clear violation of Government guidelines and basic human rights, the doctor performed the surgeries at night, under torchlight.

During the two hours he was operating, the doctor did not wash his hands, change gloves, or wear a surgical gown and cap.

After their surgeries, untrained NGO workers placed the women on straw mats provided by the families.

The doctor operated on one pregnant woman, Jitni Devi, who miscarried days after her surgery.

The doctor and NGO staff left three women profusely bleeding, including Saraswati Devi, who spent 8 days recovering in the hospital.

Most of the women from the camp have had to seek costly private care and none of them were counselled.