Czech Romany woman not to be compensated for sterilisation-court

Czech Romany woman Iveta Cervenakova, 32, will not receive financial compensation for an unwanted sterilisation that Ostrava City Hospital doctors performed on her 11 years ago, the Olomouc High Court ruled today.

Initially, the Ostrava Regional Court recognised her right to financial compensation of 500,000 crowns but the High Court said today the legal deadline for financial compensation expired in her case.

The hospital will only have to apologise to Cervenakova, under the court’s verdict.

Vojtech Brhel, chairman of the panel of judges, said the hospital illegally interfered in the woman’s rights and must apologise.

"However, the woman failed to claim her right to compensation within the three-year legal deadline following the operation that was performed on July 1997. The court thus could not recognise her right to financial compensation," Brhel said.

Cervenakova said she disagreed with the verdict and intended to address the Supreme Court.

"An apology is not enough. I only signed a consent with Caesarean section on the operation table and there was no talk about sterilisation," she told journalists.

Cervenakova underwent sterilisation 11 years ago when she gave birth to her second child that was delivered by Caesarean section, like in the case of her first child.

Sterilisation on her was performed simultaneously with Caesarean section.

Cervenakova allegedly learnt that she would not be able to have more children seven years later. She said she had not been properly informed about what the operation meant.