'Hurried Sterlisation Drive': 175 Surgeries Performed in Single Day Triggers Outcry in MP's Dhar, Women Left in Agony

Dhar/MP: Shocking scenes have emerged from a sterilisation camp in the tribal belt of Dhar district, where more than 175 women allegedly underwent operations under severely inadequate conditions, triggering outrage and raising serious questions about the public health system in Madhya Pradesh.

The incident took place at a family-planning camp organized at the Bagh Community Health Center on Friday, where around 180 tribal women arrived with children and relatives after being called early in the morning. However, the facility reportedly lacked basic arrangements such as drinking water, seating, beds, and shade.

Left in Sun After Surgery

According to eyewitnesses and local accounts, women who had undergone sterilisation procedures were made to lie on the ground in the open sun, some reportedly on damp or contaminated surfaces, writhing in pain from heat and discomfort while family members fanned them with cloth to provide relief.

Outside the centre, relatives were seen rocking infants in makeshift cloth slings as they waited for hours. Several women said they had been asked to report by 8:00 a.m. but remained without food or water for most of the day.

‘One Operation in Two Minutes’

The controversy intensified after reports that a single private doctor, Dr. Rakesh Dawar, arrived at about 3:00 p.m. and was assigned roughly 180 procedures. Hospital manager Basant Ajnare reportedly claimed sterilization surgeries were being completed in about two minutes each  a pace that has sparked alarm about adherence to medical safety protocols.

Health experts note that sterilization is a surgical procedure requiring pre-operative checks, sterile conditions and monitored recovery, making such rapid turnaround highly questionable.

Officials Under Scrutiny

Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr. Anita Singare confirmed that if rules were violated, the act would be considered illegal. She said the Block Medical Officer had been immediately attached to district headquarters and senior authorities informed, adding that action would be taken as per regulations.

The officer responsible for the area, Dr. Veer Bahadur Singh Muwel, was reportedly absent during the camp and arrived only after being informed that media had reached the site, stating he had been in a meeting.

Systemic Questions Raised

Officials at the centre acknowledged that more than 180 patients had arrived and that due to lack of beds, women had to rest on the floor after surgery. While staff insisted the doctors were experienced and there was “no time issue,” the scale of operations and poor arrangements have drawn sharp criticism and renewed debate about preparedness, oversight, and the pressure to meet sterilization targets.

The episode has sparked widespread concern locally, with residents and workers questioning government claims of improved healthcare access in tribal regions. Many said the images from Bagh expose a stark gap between official assurances and ground reality - one that, they argue, demands urgent accountability and systemic reform.

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