Homoeopathy, a helping hand to prevent Chhattisgarh sterilisation like tragedy in future

by Dr. Meetu Goel
MD (Hom.), NHMC & H
Senior Research Fellow, CCRH, Delhi

In Bilaspur, just one doctor, Dr. R. K. Gupta, conducted 83 operations with one instrument in five hours — less than four minutes per operation. Of the 83 women who underwent laparoscopic tubectomies, over 50 were hospitalised. Protocols state that doctors should spend at least 15 minutes on each operation and perform a maximum of 30 in a day. Dr Gupta is considered an expert in such cases, and was awarded by Chief Minister Raman Singh on January 26 this year for conducting 50,000 laparoscopic tubectomies. The doctor whose sterilization of 83 women in less than three hours ended in at least a dozen deaths the express operations were his moral responsibility and he blamed adulterated medicines for the tragedy. Gupta said health workers gave the women ciprofloxacin, a commonly prescribed antibiotic, and ibuprofen, a pain killer, after the operations, which were conducted in a grimy room of an unused private hospital in a village called Pandari in Chhattisgarh. 

Even if the quality of the medicines is all right, risks to a certain extent remain in such sterilisation camps. The need for such camps arises only because of the inability to improve health care for common people, particularly in rural areas and to integrate family welfare and planning with this improved health care. In such an improved and integrated system, a range of birth control choices become available to people. Generally, vasectomy (for men) is considered to be an easier procedure than tubectomy (for women). If better counseling is available, then various doubts and questions of couples can be answered and they can be helped to make an informed choice which suits them. Also, if and when the choice for sterilisation is made, these can be performed in well-equipped hospitals and health centers at a time suitable for persons undergoing sterilisation.

Homoeopathy can be an alternative to this condition; Homoeopathy may prevent this kind of tragedy if used at the right time. Few medicines can be used symptomatically before and after surgery to improve health conditions and can prevent this kind of tragedy. Few medicines with their indications are mentioned below:

Aconitum is indicated when the patient is terrified about surgery and thinks that she will die from it.

Ferrum phos is given prior to surgery in order to prevent infection and hemorrhage

Gelsemium is a common remedy for the patients who experiences great anxiety, apprehension, weakness, and trembling prior to surgery. 

Staphysagria is a useful after operations, clean cuts from surgical incisions or mechanical injuries from sharp cutting instruments, especially when followed by colic and painfulness. It is often indicated when neuralgic pain persists at the area of surgical incision, especially if the operation concerns the abdominal area. Staphysagria is an important remedy for deep or painful wounds that bleed a lot, for the chronic effects of wounds and a good remedy to prevent peritonitis following abdominal surgery. 

Arnica is another common homeopathic medicine given to people before and after surgery because of its ability to reduce surgical shock, minimize bleeding and bruising. 

Ledum and Hypericum are the main remedies for painful injections.

Hypericum perforatum is to lacerations what Arnica is to bruises. It is called the ‘Arnica of the nerves’ because it is a major first-aid remedy for nerve pain and damage, and traumatized sensory nerves. For wounds that are particularly painful and very sensitive to the touch. The pain is violent and intolerable, stitching, shooting, lancinating, intermittent, extending along nerves and radiating to different parts of the body or over the whole body. 

Bellis perennis is useful for shock and trauma to internal deeper tissues or organs, especially of the pelvis, and if the patient feels bruised in the pelvic region. Bell-p is a valuable remedy for heavily bleeding wounds, injury of nerves with violent pain, intense soreness and intolerance to cold bathing.

Phosphorus helps to prevent or treat nausea after surgery; it is indicated when the patient has a strong thirst for ice drinks; patient may also have a concurrent headache.

Arsenicum treats violent and incessant vomiting which is made worse by drinking water, especially cold water, or eating. There may also be burning pain in the stomach. 

Apis Mellifica for irritation or a discharge of fluid or pus around the skin sutures give.

Calendula and Hypericum, either alone or preferably together are used for external application of surgical wounds to promote fast healing & prevents infection.

If pus has developed and caused hypersensitivity of the wound, Hepar sulphur is recommended. Hepar sulphur is an effective remedy for helping to push out surgical stitches. Thus it is not recommended to use this remedy when there are stitches, except towards the end of the healing process, when their removal is part of the healing. 

Cinchona officinalis: If a person feels faint with ringing in the ears after loss of blood and fluids due to surgery, this remedy may be helpful. It is also indicated for gas pains after an operation. 

For shock after operation few often indicated remedies are Aceticum acidum, Camphor, Carbo vegetabilis, Strontium carbonicum, Veratrum album.

Carbo vegetabilis is known as the“great corpse reviver”. It is suitable for acutely collapsed conditions when there is danger of dying from shock. The circulation seems to be arrested and stagnant, the pulse is frequent but scarcely perceptible and the breathing is rattling. The patient is weak and exhausted, suffers possibly from hemorrhages of dark blood which are difficult to stop. 

Pyrogenium is indicated after abortion or parturition, post-operative pyrexia and post-operative cases with sepsis or typhoid states. Think of it when best indicated remedies fail to act.

So, such threats and hazards can only be checked when health services for common people improve considerably and family welfare is well integrated with other improved health facilities available in different systems of medicines.