Methods to enforce population control in India have always been controversial. Regulations have fallen short of transparency and there is a disconnect on clinical safety during surgical procedures that take place — particularly in rural areas.
A compulsory sterilisation programme in the 1970s was seen as coercive, rather than giving an individual the right to exercise judgement out of free will. The free-choice policy has since been introduced, but forceful sterilisations have often been reported. Deaths resulting from poor sterilisation procedures are not uncommon in India. Governments through the years have failed to meet their responsibilities in an area of concern that has often been swept under the carpet.
There is a glaring audit trail of casualties that have been filed away in governmental archives — on an average 12 deaths have occurred from such procedures every month during the past 10 years — but the recent mishap in Chhattisgarh, with a death toll of 13 and an equal number who are seriously ill, should be the last straw. The tragedy should force the government to call for a reform in the laws and demand total accountability from those responsible for providing services that have turned out to be sub-standard and life-threatening. The guilty should receive the severest punishment that befits the crime. Service providers must be strictly monitored and graded.
Population control has always been a controversial topic in India. The government often bribes citizens to undergo such surgeries, while politicians have used it as an electioneering tool. The bottom line, however, must always be the well-being of citizens in terms of quality health care and after-procedure recuperation facilities.
The extent of the recent tragedy must put the spotlight on rights-based family planning, which enables men and women to decide freely. Emphasis on opting for contraceptives, instead of allowing surgical contraception, should also be encouraged. This is not just an administrative decision taken by governments, but a mandate adopted by the United Nations. The government must display more awareness and accountability.
