Veteran surgeon sets record of 1 lakh family planning operations

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Veteran general surgeon Dr Ashok Belkhode deserves applaud for making a record of performing 1 lakh laparoscopic family planning operations by visiting different districts of Maharashtra, so far. Importantly, the magic figure of one lakh has been achieved in the district.

He held the operations in the district’s Jarandi, Gadana, Golatgaon, Nilajgaon, and Pimpalwadi villages on Friday and Saturday. He performed his operation (completing one lakh) in Golatgaon on Saturday. Acknowledging his valuable contribution, Lokmat’s Editor-in-Chief Rajendra Darda accorded a grand felicitation to him at Lokmat Bhavan.

Narrating his journey of serving patients, Dr Belkhode said that he is a native of a village in Hingana tehsil (Nagpur). He completed his M.B.B.S from the city (erstwhile Aurangabad) in 1983 and did a Master in Surgery (M.S) in 1987. He then joined the Public Health Department. Later on, he went on to start Bharat Jodo Yuva Akademi Trust’s 25-bed Sane Guruji Rugnalay in the highly remote and tribal area Kinwat (district Nanded) in 1995. It was the only hospital in the vicinity at that time.

Dr Belkhode confessed to being inspired by Baba Amte and prompted to work for the welfare of tribals and start health service. Meanwhile, a 130-bed hospital will be coming into operation in next six months, he said.

He mentioned that he never worked to achieve magic figures and continue to do so in the future. I am happy and content that I can contribute to the national cause through operations. I am thankful to the government, district administration, health officer, health personnel, and the patients and their relatives who entrusted me.

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I left the government job in 2001 but was continuously called for operations. I visited the primary health centres or rural hospitals to perform the operations. However, there is a shortage of experts and trained surgeons in performing such type of surgeries. Hence the strength of surgeons should be increased in the future, said Dr Belkhode.

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Law for men should be framed

The expert surgeon added, “ I have found that women are always sent on the forefront in connection with the family planning operations. Even if she is unwell, she is pushed forward. Men do not get ready for the operations and they do not come forward as well. I had hardly performed operations (Vasectomy) on 100 males. An Act should be framed mandating men to undergo the operations.”

Honorarium of Rs 75!

Dr Belkhode said, “ There is a need to make efforts to the implementation of Family Planning Programme and invite new surgeons. The government grants an honorarium of Rs 75 per operation to the doctor, while the person bringing the woman for the operation is given Rs 150 each. Hence there is a need to revise the doctor’s honorarium.”

Dr Belkhode recalled the Anemia Free School Programme implemented by the former school education minister Rajendra Darda. He also mentioned working on various diseases like Anemia and Galgand (Hypothyroidism) in Kinwat and how the health machinery changed to an extent after his work, he mentioned.