Hyderabad, July 24: A Congress MLA in Telangana, who is also a surgeon, performed emergency caesarean sections on two pregnant women in flood-hit Bhadradri Kothagudem District.
Tellam Venkatarao, who represents Bhadrachalam (ST) constituency, conducted emergency surgeries at the government-run hospital at Bhadrachalam on Tuesday. The legislator, a qualified surgeon, came forward to do his duty when he was approached by hospital authorities as two women had gone into labour and no doctor was available to attend to them.
As heavy rains and floods had made it impossible for authorities to shift the women to medical facilities in other towns, the hospital authorities contacted the Congress MLA. Normal life in the district has come to a halt for the last few days due to rains and floods in Godavari River, which has been in spate at Bhadrachalam.
The road link was also snapped to several villages in the district. Anticipating problems due to the flood situation, the two pregnant women were shifted to Bhadrachalam hospital from two different villages in the district a few days ago.
They began having labour pains on Tuesday. As four of the five surgeons were transferred from the hospital and the fifth was not available, the hospital authorities had to approach the MLA, who was busy in flood relief works in his constituency. Venkatrao, who has worked as a civil surgeon, rushed to the hospital and successfully performed caesarean sections on both the women.
While one woman identified as Bhimanaboina Swapna delivered a baby boy, Pilli Pushpaleela welcomed a girl child. Both the women and their family members thanked the MLA for coming to their rescue in an emergency. Venkatrao said he would always be available to serve the people of the agency areas.
Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha on Wednesday thanked the MLA for coming to perform the surgeries. Venkatrao obtained Master of Surgery (MS) in 2011 and had worked at Bhadrachalam hospital for a few years. He was elected to the Assembly on a BRS ticket in the elections held in November 2023. He was the only BRS MLA from united Khammam District. However, in April 2024, he joined the ruling Congress party.
IANS