Denied care in Lal Ded hospital, woman delivers baby on road

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 1/20/2019 5:08:43 PM

Govt orders probe; baby girl dies immediately after being born

SRINAGAR, Jan 19: In a shocking case, a woman from remote Moori village in Kalaroose, Kupwara was forced to give birth to a baby girl on the road after doctors at Srinagar’s largest maternity hospital Lal Ded Hospital allegedly did not allow her to stay in the hospital overnight and refused to admit her on Thursday. The baby subsequently died.
When the case came to light today, the state government ordered a probe in the incident.
According to the affected family, the doctors refused to admit the woman in the hospital yesterday. The family said that the woman, Suraiya, had developed labour pain on Thursday in her home in Kupwara and she had to be shifted with great difficulty. Because of heavy snow-fall in the area, the road between Moori and Kalaroos, where the nearest hospital is located, was not motorable and villagers helped carry her to Kalaroos, 14 kilometres away.
With nearly 3-feet snow in the area, the roads between Mooree and Kalaroos, where the nearest hospital is located, were not motorable. Mohammad Zaman the brother of the woman said," Around 15 people put my sister on a charpoy and we walked for six hours to reach the hospital (in Kalaroos, around 14 km away)."
The family said that doctors there referred her to Kupwara hospital, from where she was referred to Lal Ded Hospital in Srinagar. She was first kept under observation for a few hours but later the doctors, they alleged, refused to admit her.
“Late evening, she developed severe pain again and delivered a baby girl on the road. The newborn died immediately,” they alleged.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Khan said that an order has been issued to Principal/Dean Government Medical College, requiring him to look into the factual position with respect to denial of entry of the pregnant woman into the hospital, leading her to deliver on the road, and subsequently death of her baby girl.
"This incident needs a thorough inquiry to find out the factual position, so that appropriate action is taken against the concerned if found liable for such negligence/ act," read the order issued by the divisional commissioner.
It added, “You are accordingly directed to enquire into the matter and furnish the inquiry report along with your explicit comments within two days, treating the matter as most urgent.”
Medical Superintendent of Lal Ded hospital, Dr Shabir Siddique told media that the matter has been already taken up with the head of the department Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
“Pending inquiry, the doctors who were on duty yesterday have been attached to Principal GMC, Srinagar," Dr Siddique said.
He said the doctors there referred her to Kupwara hospital, from where she was referred further to Lal Ded hospital here.
Dr Firdous Ahmad, Block Medical Officer (BMO) of Kalaroos, told media that he contacted doctors at Lal Ded after learning about the family’s ordeals. “We are pained. Since we couldn’t handle the case here because it was serious, we had no option but to refer the patient further,” he said.
Meanwhile, the family said the baby could have survived had the doctors in Kalaroos not referred her to Srinagar.
“Action should also be taken against those who referred us to Srinagar from Kupwara hospital and also those who asked us to wait and bring the woman on Friday at the LD hospital,” a family member demanded.

 

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