23 Women Suffer 'Unbearable Pain' After Forced Ligation Without Anesthesia In India

Twenty-three women were forced to undergo tubal sterilization, also known as tubectomy, without anesthesia in India, officials said on Thursday.

The procedures were performed by doctors and medical personnel at a primary health center in Bihar's Khagaria district.

"There are reports that 23 women were surgically sterilized without anesthesia at a PHC in Alauli recently. Around 30 women were scheduled to undergo the procedure but seven fled from the establishment due to fear and informed the locals," Khagaria Civil Surgeon Amarkant Jha told PTI News.

"This is a case of serious medical negligence. How can women be forced to undergo the surgical procedure without anesthesia? The standard practice for tubectomy is to use local anesthesia. Inquiry is underway and strict action will be taken against those responsible. The guilty won't be spared. We are meeting the victims," he added.

The medical staff allegedly pinned the women down on the bed, held and secured both their hands and legs tightly, put cotton in their mouths and performed the operation without anesthesia, India TV News reported.

The Khagaria district magistrate has ordered an investigation into the incident and asked the civil surgeon to complete the probe immediately, the Times of India reported.

The women underwent the procedure, which involves surgical clipping of fallopian tubes, as part of a government-sponsored campaign run by a private organization.

According to the victims, who were not identified, they experienced "unbearable pain."

"I don't want to remember the horrific incident. I was screaming in pain, while four people held my hands and feet tightly as the doctor completed the job. Initially, when I asked the doctor about the unbearable pain, he said it happens," one of the victims said, according to the Times of India.

Another victim also said she was conscious throughout the surgery and suffered immense pain.

Tubal ligation is a surgical procedure that is considered a permanent method of sterilization and birth control.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Sanjay Jaiswal released a statement in response to the incident.

"This is a shocking incident of medical negligence," the official said, according to the outlet. "It negates the state government's tall claims of good health facilities. The health minister (Tejashwi Yadav) tries to project himself as 'Robin Hood' by visiting hospitals at night, but he does not know that government medical establishments in the state lack basic items such as anesthesia."