A Fact Finding Report on the Sterilisation Camp held at Governmnet Middle School. Kaperfora village under Kurshakata Block PHC and P.S Dist Araria, Bihar, on 7.01.2012 by Jai Ambe Welfare Society, Jalalgarh, Purnea (Accredited NGO for Sterilisation Work) by the DHS, Araria and other related incidence

Fact finding dates:

7.02.2012, 8.02.2012, and 9.02.2012
The Team:

Mr. Francis Elliot of The Times, London (who went to cover the news), and Devika Biswas (as his translator and accompanying person). This portion of the report and observation is soley owned by Devika Biswas
Sources of Primary Information:

News articles appearing in-
Hindustan, Dianik Jagran, P.K dated 9.01.2012 about raid on sterilization camp by SP,
Hindustan, Dianik Jagran dated 31.01.2012 about DIG’s visit for sterilisation,
Hindustan, Dianik Jagran dated 4.02.2012 about Health Minister’s statement on spurious drug supply at the camp.
Meeting with SP Araria on 7.02.2012
Meeting with villagers, eyewitnesses, sterilized women, school authorities, media, present MO incharge of Kurshakata PHC at the place of incidence and PHC CS, ACMO, DPMO, Reg PMO, other health department officials, Dr. Rajendra Prasad (the then MOIC, Kurshakata), on 8.02.2012
Meeting with DPMO and other government officials of district hospital, on 9.02.2012

Place:

SP Bungalow, Araria, Kaparfora Government Middle School, PHC, Kurshakata, SP Office Araria, CS Office, Araria, DHS Araria.
Inteview and Reporting:

Devika Biswas

Documents Reviewed:

The photocopy of FIR lodged,
The list of sterilized women and their data,
The office order of DHS Araria regarding accreditation of the NGO, and the guideline for conducting sterilization camps,
The faxed photocopy of the report of the DH Araria to the Principal Secretary, Health, Government of Bihar, dated 10.01.2012, on the happenings at the sterilization camps alongwith the inverstigation report of the CS, Araria about the FP camps,
The statement of the then MOIC, Kurshakata,

THE SHS letters and guidelines for financial norms for “Accreditation of private providers for sterilization,

For reference purpose, the following guidelines on standards prescribed by the Supreme Court’s order on the PIL writ file of Ramakant Rai vs. Union Government of India and others, 2003:The Quality Assurance Manual.

Observation of Procedural Violations that took place in Kaparfora Government Middle School in the light of the sanction/accreditation order of the office of DHS, Araria (Memo No 1165/ Araria dated 29.11.2011):

Summary


There have been  gross violation of all conditions/Supreme Court’s order and wants to move the Supreme Court, for stopping further family planning camps for sterilization, till a high-level expert committee (consisting of retired judges, health activists, lawyers, doctors (experts in family planning), human rights activists, dalit right activists) to go to each government health facility centres and certify what are their status to conduct such sterilization work, scrutiny the empanelled doctors’ list (both government and private), and required manpower, and submit a report to the Supreme Court. Based on their report, the Supreme Court should allow only those government and private hospitals which fulfill all physical, manpower, and other standards. The dignity of poor dalit women and their right to privacy should be maintained by all as a part of protection of basic human rights. All the sterilized women had undergone private post-operative care at their own expense. They must get compensation and CSG. The pregnant woman, Jitni Devi must be compensated for miscarriage and treatment due to sterilization done on her.

 Read the fact finding Report