Shevri, who belongs to Kheema thanda of Kuravi mandal in Warangal district, looks very elderly. Not this 35-year-old woman alone. But most of them in this hamlet look the same.
When Shevri consulted a doctor for treatment of ulcers, she was told to remove uterus. Scaring that if it left untreated will lead to cancer, she spent Rs. 50,000 to get operated.
The doctors in mandal headquarters and in small towns minted money by luring innocent tribals.
Economics Professor B. Suresh Lal, who specialises in tribal studies and health economics, said tribals, particularly the Lambadas were easy victims to doctors.
“Even for a small gynaecological problem, these tribals are terrified that they would develop cancer and would die. As a result, the women are getting their uteruses removed spending huge amount of money. There are instances where the tribal families sold away their only possession ‘land’,” he explained.
In a related incident, Kanthi,30, consulted a doctor for stomach pain. She was told there was a wound in uterus and had to removed. The wound could be cured by medicines. But, she was asked to get it removed by spending Rs. 18,000. Her stomach pain still remain.
The vernacular newspapers, doctors and NGOs have been raising the issue at various fora demanding the district administration to act against the erring doctors, but in vain.
District Medical & Health Officer, P. Sambasiva Rao said they kept a vigil on the hospitals advising for uterus removal and they would initiate action.
Veteran doctor P. Anjani Devi of Kalyani Nursing Home described the act as heinous.
