D&C procedure
Rawalpindi-A 28-year-old poor woman is battling for life after a lady health supervisor conducted dilation and curettage procedure on her at Basic Health Unit, Hayyal Sharif in limits of Police Station Saddar Bairooni, sources revealed on Wednesday.
The LHV, employed with the health department on contract, was identified as Nayyer, who also took Rs5,000 from husband of Tahira Abbas for conducting the D&C procedure on her, they added. The ill-trained LHV used low-quality equipments and conducted no tests before the procedure, which endangered the life of Tahira, the sources said.
Dr Yusra Amir, in-charge of the BHU, has been patronising the LHV since long, the sources alleged.
They also alleged that staffers of the BHU including the LHV were also involved in stealing medicines from pharmacy of the BHU besides allowing unauthorised persons to operate as paramedical staff in the facility for examining patients.
People of the area, shocked over the illegal D&C procedure performed by the LHV, stressed the Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shehbaz Sharif to take action against those playing havoc with the lives of the poor patients.
According to the sources, Tahira Abbas, mother of two, visited the BHU for taking medicines for her siblings when her condition started deteriorating outside the doctor’s room as she was pregnant. Seeing a female sitting on the bench while holding her head into hands, the LHV rushed towards Tahira and enquired about her health, the sources said. “The LHV took Tahira to a room and later brought the matter into the knowledge of the BHU In-charge Dr Yusra Amir and sought her permission for examining and treating the patient, which was granted,” the sources added.
The LHV also called Abbas, husband of Tahira, inside the room and told him that his wife had suffered miscarriage and needed to go through the D&C procedure immediately or she could die, the sources said.
They revealed that the LHV pocketed Rs5,000 from Abbas and conducted the D&C procedure on Tahira in unhygienic conditions, which endangered her life. Later, the LHV discharged the patient and sent her home where she became unconscious, the sources said.
Abbas, when contacted, confirmed the incident, saying that later a gynaecologist examined his wife and stated that endometrial echo of the patient was disturbed. “The LHV cheated us and put my wife’s life in danger”, he said in a chocked voice, demanding that the government should take action against the LHV and in-charge of the BHU. He said that the doctors had advised for his wife to go through the D&C procedure again if he wanted to see her alive.
The LHV hurled threats of dire consequences at this correspondent when she was approached for comments in the office of the BHU In-charge Dr Yusra. “I conducted the D&C procedure on Tahira for money and I am also doing so in my private clinic. My father is SP and nobody can probe me. Go and do what you want,” said Nayyer rudely. Instead of enquiring from the LHV, Dr Yusra also backed her and asked this correspondent not to expose the fraud in media. “No staffer is involved in medicines theft,” she replied in response to a query.
Many female patients in the BHU told The Nation that the LHV was involved in the criminal practice since long but no action was being taken against her despite complaints. They said that husband of the LHV was dealing female patients despite the fact that he was not employed with the health department.
CEO Health Rawalpindi Dr Suhail, when contacted, first refused to comment on the issue and advised this correspondent to visit his office to discuss the matter. Later, however, he claimed that the LHVs were authorised to perform the D&C procedure on women in the BHUs.