Govt Orders Probe After Woman Delivers On Road Side After Refused Entry

Doctor who was on duty attached pending enquiry

Srinagar: The government has directed Principal Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar to probe incident involving delivery of a woman on the roadside near Lal Ded hospital leading to the death of her baby.

The woman from the far-flung area of Moori, Kalaroose, Kupwara was reportedly refused entry by doctors late Thursday night after which she gave birth to a baby on the roadside near Lal Ded, Kashmir’s premier maternity hospital here.

The normal delivery by the woman also puts a question mark on the functioning of peripheral hospitals especially in Kupwara from where she was referred late in the evening to Srinagar.

Talking to GNS, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Khan said that a formal order has been issued to Principal/Dean GMC requiring him to look into the factual position as regards denial of entry of the woman into the hospital leading her delivering on the roadside as a consequence of which baby born to her died.

“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.

Talking to GNS, Medical Superintendent of Lal Ded hospital, Dr Shabir Sidiqui said that the matter has been already taken up with the head of the Department Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr Farhhat Jabeen.

Pending inquiry, the doctor who was on duty on Thursday has been attached to Principal GMC, Srinagar,” the Superintendent said.

Meanwhile, the family said that had the woman not been referred to Srinagar, the baby would have survived.

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 in the LD hospital, the family added. (GNS)