A photograph from a Kolkata delivery room has sparked a heated debate online after an intern doctor shared a picture showing herself stitching a woman after childbirth, with the caption, “Silai bunai aata hai? (Do you know how to sew?)”The intern, Dr Sudeshna, is a student at Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital (CNMCH). In the photograph, she can be seen wearing surgical scrubs, gloves, a mask and a hairnet while holding a needle holder and suture thread attached to a curved needle. The image appears to show her performing a suturing procedure near the patient’s pelvic area.The photograph was reportedly posted on her Instagram earlier this month. It was later reposted on X, where several users questioned whether sharing such an image was appropriate and raised concerns about the patient’s privacy.The issue got noticed when content creator and UPSC educator Amit Kilhor posted about the newborn photographs on X. The issue later resurfaced when content creator and UPSC educator Amit Kilhor posted about the newborn photographs on X.
Doctor says she had the mother’s consent
Dr Sudeshna has defended the photograph, saying that the new mother had given her permission for it to be shared.Responding to the criticism, she said the mother was not under anaesthesia when she gave consent. According to the intern, she obtained the woman’s consent four hours after the delivery.“I have informed consent from the mother (4 hours post delivery),” Dr Sudeshna wrote. She also claimed that the woman had offered to have photographs taken with her newborn.The explanation, however, hasn’t ended the criticism.One critic, Dr BL Bairwa, described the post as “unethical”. Another user questioned whether consent given around childbirth can always be considered completely voluntary, particularly when a patient is in pain or dependent on medical care.Dr Sudeshna pushed back against the criticism, saying the photograph did not violate NMC guidelines because she wasn’t promoting any pharmaceutical product.
Earlier apology over newborn pictures
This isn’t the first time the intern’s social media posts have attracted attention. The controversy comes after the intern had also shared pictures of a newborn online earlier. She later apologised for posting those photographs.After sharing pictures of the newborn, she issued an apology on X on September 5.“This is to apologise for my misdemeanour in my recent tweets. I completely understand there is a huge social and personal sentiment attached to a new born baby and I am really sorry for hurting it, as I genuinely didn’t know it wasn’t okay to do it – you observe and learn,” she wrote.Dr Sudeshna has since made her Instagram account private.The latest controversy has now opened up a wider conversation online about what medical professionals should share from delivery rooms, and where the line between documenting clinical work and protecting a patient’s privacy should be drawn.
