Untrained doctors doing Caesareans in PMCH

Published September 9, 2003

NAWABSHAH, Sept 8: The ratio of Caesarean and post-pregnancy wound infection is increasing in the gynaecology ward of the Peoples’ Medical College Hospital as its senior doctors do not attend the ward which is being run by postgraduate students.

A survey conducted by this correspondent revealed that at least 15 Caesareans were being performed every day and only three to four babies were normally delivered at the PMCH.

The professor or assistant professor, not belonging to Nawabshah district but posted in the ward, do not regularly attend the ward as they are running private clinics in their cities.

A senior demonstrator of the Peoples’ Medical College and two senior registrars were deputed in the ward as assistant professors by the health department just to fill vacant posts but they too attend the ward when a case becomes complicated and cannot be handled by the postgraduate students.

Also five registrars of the gynaecology appear in the ward only to conduct an operation or to examine an emergency patient.

The ward is manned by 40 fresh MBBS doctors who had recently completed their house jobs and were given admission to the post-graduate course without meeting the admission criteria. As the postgraduate students are not fully trained, they prefer caesarean to normal delivery.

A gynaecologist requesting anonymity told this correspondent that a postgraduate student was able to perrorm a Caesarean if she had completed a six-months training but in the PMCH ward, fresh postgraduates were doing the job.

Wound infection rate in Caesarean cases has also increased as most of the patients are discharged from ward after two to three days of the operation before the healing of their wounds and also due to improper sterilization of surgical instruments in labour room and operation theatres.

However, associate professor of gynaecology at the PMCH, Dr Khair-un-Nisa Memon, denied any increase in Caesarean.