India Probes Doctor Who Performed 21 C-Sections In One Shift

Authorities in Assam have launched an investigation into a senior gynaecologist after he performed 21 emergency caesarean deliveries during a single hospital shift, raising concerns over patient safety and medical protocols.

Dr. Kantheswar Bordoloi, senior medical officer at Morigaon Civil Hospital in northeastern India, carried out the surgeries between 3:40 p.m. on Sept. 5 and 1:50 a.m. the following morning, according to officials.

The district health administration issued a show-cause notice demanding that Bordoloi explain his actions and submit case reports for each surgery within three days. Officials said poor documentation of pre- and post-operative records could compromise infection control and put mothers and newborns at risk.

“This raises serious concerns. You are hereby directed to submit a comprehensive report for each of the above-mentioned cases,” the notice, signed by Additional District Commissioner for Health Nitisha Bora, stated.

Doctor Defends Workload

Bordoloi dismissed suggestions of negligence, saying India’s public hospitals often require doctors to perform multiple procedures under pressure. “In uncomplicated cases, a C-section can take as little as 15 minutes. We have two operating tables, so sterilisation was maintained,” he told The Assam Tribune.

He added that 19 mothers and their babies had been discharged in stable condition, while two remain hospitalised. One patient was transferred to Gauhati Medical College, the state’s top medical institution.

Rising C-Section Rates in India

India has seen a steady increase in caesarean deliveries over the past two decades. A 2023 study found the national rate had risen from 17% in 1998-99 to more than 21% in recent years, with urban, wealthier, and better-educated women more likely to undergo the procedure.

While C-sections can be life-saving, experts have warned against unnecessary use. A 2018 Lancet report described a global “caesarean epidemic,” noting that rates above 15% often bring no additional health benefits and carry long-term risks for mothers and infants.

Recent Scandals in Assam

The case comes weeks after authorities in Assam arrested a fake doctor who allegedly conducted more than 50 C-sections and gynaecological surgeries at private hospitals over a decade using forged medical credentials.

The investigation into Bordoloi is ongoing.

Source: Independent.co.uk