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Curse of forced appendicitis revisits Kowdipally
Ten appendicitis surgeries were conducted in Kowdipally mandal since January 2015. Quacks in the mandal have been luring people by playing on “fear factor” and forcing them to undergo surgery.
Medak: Ten appendicitis surgeries were conducted in Kowdipally mandal since January 2015. Quacks in the mandal have been luring people by playing on “fear factor” and forcing them to undergo surgery.
A similar wave was witnessed in 2013. Surgeries were performed in 54 households by unqualified practitioners. In 2005, NGOs exposed coerced hysterectomies in Kowdipally. M S Chandra, director, Centre for Action Research and People’s Development (CARPED), an NGO working in Medak district, said, “Quacks rule the roost in these villages.
In spite of the medical department seizing the clinics they have managed to start the practice again.”
When contacted, Dr Vijayashree, medical officer, Kowdipally PHC, said that the higher authorities have been informed and an investigation would be initiated.
Dr Sudhakar, an Ayurveda doctor, performed 11 operations till date in the mandal. After complaints by social activists, the DMHO seized his clinic and he went underground for a month in 2013 but soon restarted his clinic.
Since 2010, 27 appendicitis surgeries took place in Kowdipally village which has a population of 60,000 people. The cost of surgery ranges between Rs 15,000- Rs 18,000.
“In some cases, as many as six in a family underwent operation. Playing on the fear factor, quacks forced people to undergo operation,” M S Chandra said.
A seven-year-old was the youngest who was operated upon and the oldest was a 60-year-old farmer.
It all started a few years ago when Vasram, a tribal from the hamlet, died due to ill health which was assumed to be an unattended appendicitis.
Even though an ASHA worker for 350 people, two ANMs including an additional ANM supported by the National Health Mission are in place apart from two qualified doctors, quacks still loom large in the district.
