Pregnant Woman Dies in Anantnag Due to 'Medical Negligence'; Kin Denied Ambulance to Take Back Body

Anantnag: A pregnant women died on Sunday in Jammu & Kashmir’s Anantnag district due to alleged negligence on the part of the hospital authorities. Her family members had to carry her body home, two km away, on a stretcher after they were denied an ambulance by the hospital staff where she was declared dead.

According to available details, Shakeela, a resident of Salia area in the district, was admitted in Seer Hamdan Sub-district Hospital on Saturday at 12 in the afternoon.

The gynaecologist on duty assured her of a normal delivery and asked her to wait till she went into labour. However, soon after, the doctor left after completing his routine duty and handed over another doctor, who is not a gynaecologist.

This doctor asked Shakeela to wait for some more time before she could be taken to the labour room.

Her family members said when her condition deteriorated around 4am on Sunday, the on-duty doctor referred her to the lone maternity and childcare hospital (MCH) of south Kashmir in Anantnag.

After being rushed to the hospital, the doctors declared her dead on arrival. The grieving family members were then denied an ambulance to carry her body home.

Soon after, a protest was staged outside Seer Hamdan hospital and in Salia demanding impartial probe and action against the negligent doctors.

Following a preliminary inquiry, a doctor, named Ridhwana, and a nurse, Hafeeza, were suspended.

Meanwhile, health officials have given contradictory statements on Shakeela's death. The Block Medical Officer (BMO) of Mattan, Dr Saleem Beg, said an inquiry committee has been set up to look into the allegations of negligence at MCH, Anantnag, while the medical superintendent of the hospital said Shakeela had passed away when brought to the facility from Seer Hamdan Hospital.

Shakeela’s death once again painted a grim picture of the healthcare scenario in Anantnag.

Only a day ago, it was reported how a pregnant woman, who has since tested positive for coronavirus, had to travel for about 100km in active labour to deliver her child.

Her family members claimed the woman’s suffering was only because of reluctant medical officials and unclear administrative orders.

Before that, a woman living in the coronavirus hotspot area of Kharpora died with her new born twins at MCH due to alleged medical negligence.

Though a probe committee for the case was supposed to submit its report within three days, nothing has come to light even after more than a week.