Uterus removal: SHRC issues notice to Bihar hospitals

The Bihar State Human Rights Commission Wednesday issued notice to private hospitals and nursing homes, where uteruses of hundreds of poor women were removed to claim insurance money under a government scheme.

"The commission is likely to issue notice to the state government in this connection too," an official of the rights body said.

The official said the commission had taken serious note of the issue and told the hospitals and nursing homes to reply to the notice soon.

A house committee, which is probing the removal of uteruses of over 16,000 women living below poverty line, will start meeting the victims from September.

The committee has directed district magistrates to provide it detailed information about the private hospitals and nursing homes and the list of victims.

Most of the uteruses were removed to claim insurance money of Rs.30,000 per patient under the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna, a central government scheme, an official said.

Private hospitals claimed up to Rs.10 crore under the scheme in one year in Begusarai and Rs.12 crore in Samastipur district.

Opposition leaders have demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the issue.