The National Human Rights Commission has issued notices to the governments of Karnataka and Maharashtra for an unusual large number of Hysterectomy procedures being performed on women in Karnataka's Kalaburagi district and Umarga in Osmanabad, Maharashtra.  

 

The commission has called for a detailed account in the matter of procedures being performed to remove uterus of unsuspecting women allegedly for commercial reasons as there is no medical justifications behind them. This is endangering the life of the victims and putting their lives on risk as they are suffering many complications after the surgery. Umarga area in Osmanabad district of Maharashtra too has become the ‘Hysterectomy Hub’ and getting patients from border villages of Kalaburagi district of Karnataka.

 

Despite interventions by the Karnataka state commission for women, Karnataka government and civil society action is yet to be taken.

Raising concerns on the inconsiderate and negligent manner of doctors and hospitals for performing hysterectomy procedures and putting the lives of poor patients coming from rural background to risk, the commission has said that the state government is bound to protect the right to life and health care of the citizens.

 

As per reports, victims have complained of backache, weakness, prolonged tiredness, chest pain and even partial loss of vision. 

After a large number of complaints, the state government had formed an expert committee in 2015. It found that 2,258 Hysterectomy procedures were done in a period of 30 months in Kalaburagi district. Four hospitals were found guilty and a probe was conducted for their alleged violation of provisions of the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments Act. Licences of these hospitals were later suspended for six months. The matter has also been reported to the Karnataka Medical Council (KMC), which is yet to take call on this. Health activists of Karnataka Janarogya Chalavali (KJC) have been demanding for cancellation of the registration of the guilty doctors and legal action against them.