COIMBATORE: More than 30 women have undergone hysterectomies at sub-district government hospitals in Sulur, Kolarpatti, and Mettupalayam, where doctors have removed abnormally large fibroids, according to health department sources.
Similarly, the Pollachi and Mettupalayam GHs performed around 233 major surgeries. In spite of limited manpower and resources, government hospitals in rural parts of the district have been successfully performing complex surgeries.
Doctors at these facilities have stated that performing numerous surgeries at tertiary-level government hospitals helps reduce the workload at the medical college hospitals in the city and fosters the public healthcare system.
"A 40-year-old woman from Kallar near Mettupalayam had been experiencing prolonged abdominal pain and had been relying on pain relief medications for the past few years. Unable to bear the pain, she was brought to Mettupalayam GH on April 8, where she was diagnosed with a large ovarian cyst that was at risk of rupturing. Since she has a negative blood group, the medical team sourced the necessary blood for transfusion. The surgery to remove the cyst was completed in six hours, and she was discharged after a week of observation," said Dr G Jothimani, who worked as Chief Gynecologist for the government hospitals at Mettupalayam, Sulur, and Kolarpatti and has now been transferred to Tiruppur district.
Jothimani also added that critical hysterectomy surgeries were performed on two women from Chengam and Sulur, both of whom had large fibroids measuring around 5 cm. She stated that unless fibroids show symptoms, there is typically no need for removal.
However, if they are diagnosed as larger in size, a hysterectomy becomes necessary. It is common for women aged between 45 and 50 to experience these issues, and if they experience acute pain, they should seek treatment immediately.
Jothimani further said that peripheral government hospitals in the district have been performing particularly well in women's and maternal healthcare.
Joint Director of Health Services Dr Sumathi told TNIE that doctors at GHs performed around 233 major surgeries in the last five months. According to her, Pollachi GH alone conducted around 207 complicated surgeries, which include gastrointestinal, reconstructive plastic surgery, uterus surgery, orthopedic, and ENT procedures. The remaining 26 were performed by the medical team at Mettupalayam GH.
"We have 13 government hospitals, but except for Pollachi (district headquarters hospital) and Mettupalayam, none of the government hospitals have blood bank facilities. However, we take extensive measures to conduct major planned surgeries. After sourcing the required blood and paramedical support, we carry out necessary surgical procedures. Providing such medical services free of cost at government hospitals develops trust among the public," she said.