About to get married a month later, a 35-year-old man from Mehsana village in Gujarat underwent an unwanted vasectomy at a community health center (CHC) last month, the man said.
The procedure is carried out as part of the No Scalpel Vasectomy (NSV) programme, which comes under the central government’s National Health Mission.
The allegations came close in the wake of an alleged scam involving the misuse of another government scheme, the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (PMJAY), as part of which “unnecessary angioplasty” was performed on seven people from the same district, resulting in death. two at a private hospital in Ahmedabad following post-operative complications.
The NSV procedure for the 35-year-old man was carried out on November 29, while NSV Pakhwada was observed by the Gujarat government between November 21 and December 4.
The consent form, which has the man’s thumbprint, states that he is the father of three children – two sons and one daughter, two health ministry officials confirmed to The Indian Express.
The 35-year-old man is a resident of Navi Sedhavi in Mehsana district.
The district manager has ordered an investigation into the incident. A report on the matter has been submitted to the District Development Officer (DDO) while a show-cause notice has been issued to the health worker concerned.
On Thursday, a 35-year-old man told the media gathered outside his house that he was taken to CHC for the reason of giving him a “job”. However, this claim is being investigated.
Officials told The Indian Express that the man, one of four siblings, had lost his elder brother a few days before the procedure. His relatives told the media that he is getting married in about a month.
Mehsana DDO Jasmine Hasrat was not available for comment as was Dr Nayan Jani, Additional Director of Family Welfare of the Gujarat health department.
No FIR or police complaint has been lodged in this matter yet.
Dr Mahesh Kapadia, Chief District Health Officer (CDHO) of Mehsana, said, “A multidisciplinary health worker met a person who benefited from NSV. They took this 35-year-old man for follow-up even though he is single and has no children. They took her to Adalaj CHC in Gandhinagar district and did the procedure there without informing any officials in Mehsana, especially the District Health Officer (ADHO) in charge of family planning. “
Dr. Kapadia continued, “The consent form sent to Adalaj CHC stated that the man is the father of three children. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case.”
Dr AJ Vaishnav, CDHO of Gandhinagar where the vasectomy was performed, said, “The matter is under investigation and the claims of the person claiming unwanted vasectomy are being investigated. However, it is true that the consent form, with his thumb, says that he has three children.”
According to one health official, men who opt for NSV get Rs 2,000 each as an incentive while the “facilitator”, the person who assures them of the surgery, gets Rs 300 per procedure.
Explaining the approval system in such cases, the health official, who did not want to be named, said, “There is a form with the details of the person who agreed to be activated, including details of marriage and children. This will be signed. There are also promoter details. Finally, the surgeon signs the form.”
NSV is a method of permanent male sterilization that is performed without the use of a knife.