Srinagar
Following a bizarre incident, in which a newborn baby died after hospital authorities in Srinagar refused to admit the pregnant lady two days back, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah hoped the immediate action by the authorities in this tragic case.
“I hope the state functionaries working under the command of @jandkgovernor take immediate action in this tragic case,” Omar wrote on his twitter handle.
On Thursday, a woman from remote Mooree area of Kupwara district, which is under three feet snow now, was brought to Srinagar’s Lal Ded Hospital — the largest state-run maternity hospital in the valley after she developed a labour pain.
She was reportedly first taken to nearest hospital in Karaloos, which is almost fourteen kilometres away from their residence. Due to the accumulation of the snow, the patient was taken on a cot (charpoy) to reach the hospital.
In a severe labour pain, the lady was then taken to district hospital Kupwara, from where the patient was referred to Srinagar hospital for the advanced treatment.
According to reports, the woman Suraya begum was first put under observation for a few hours, as the authorities at the Lal-Ded subsequently refused to admit her, forcing the woman to deliver her baby girl on the road on Thursday evening around 8: 30. And the newborn died immediately.
Pertinently, the temperature in Srinagar, according to the local MeT was recorded at -0.7 degrees Celsius on Thursday night, same night when the incident occurred.
Earlier, the authorities at Kalaroos hospital told media that they couldn’t handle the case as it was so serious and they had no option accept referring her to Srinagar hospital.
Similarly, the authorities have ordered an inquiry into the incident. “It is very unfortunate. We have already issued clear instructions to the doctors that any patient from far-off places shouldn’t be sent back at night,” he said. he added that a committee has been formed which will investigate the incident,” the official from the hospital was quoted by Indian Express as saying
Taking cognizance of the incident, authorities on Saturday directed Principal Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar to probe the incident.
“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,” reads the order issued by the Divisional Commissioner to the principal GMC.
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 most urgent, the order added.
In this regard, the PDP president and former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir expressed her concern and said: “Heart wrenching that a pregnant woman was turned away from a hospital which ironically is named after the great Kashmiri mystic saint Lal Ded . She later gave birth to a still born in frigid temperatures. Cannot even begin to fathom the pain & trauma the parents must feel,” Mehbooba wrote on Twitter.
