Eight women died
on Monday in the Indian state of Chattisgarh following
government-sponsored sterilization surgery, according to a state medical
official.
Sixty-eight other women have been hospitalized and at least five are in critical condition, Bloomberg reports.
Sonmani Borah, commissioner of the Bilaspur district where the drive took place, told Agence France-Presse that symptoms such as low pulse rates and vomiting started appearing in the women on Monday.
The routine sterilization drive was part of a campaign by the Indian
government aimed at controlling population growth, and was conducted by
doctors at a private hospital who reportedly performed 83 operations
within six hours on Saturday.
“The deaths were due to infection causing septic shock,” said Amar
Singh Thakur, the district’s chief health officer.
“We are
investigating, but it is too early to say that it was due to
sterilization.”
Local news outlet NDTV reported
that the Indian government has set up a three-member panel to
investigate the deaths and also announced compensation of about $3,000
to the victims’ families.
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