Woman dies after childbirth at Kalaburagi District Hospital, Family alleges negligence

Kalaburagi: Allegations of negligence have been raised against doctors and medical staff following the tragic death of a 23-year-old new mother and the subsequent negligence in providing medical care to her newborn at the District Hospital attached to the Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) on Tuesday.

Reports suggest that the grandmother was allegedly made to sit for hours with the baby in her arms in an open area, without proper care or assistance.

The family of the deceased claimed that the doctor at the hospital did not treat the mother properly and as a result, they claimed that she had died. Moreover, the medical staff has been accused of asking the family to take the infant home, which resulted in the baby not being admitted to the hospital after birth. The infant was later admitted due to the intervention of media persons.

Also read- Death of 10 year old child following fever: BAMS doctor booked for medical negligence under IPC 304A

The incident occurred after the woman was brought to the district hospital at 11 am, following the delivery of a baby boy earlier that morning at a government health facility in Afzalpur. She tragically passed away due to excessive bleeding after the delivery. Her newborn was later handed over to the grandmother, who spent hours sitting outside in an open area, holding the child wrapped in her sari at the hospital.

While the relatives claimed that the hospital staff told them the baby was healthy and advised them to take him home indicating that they refused to provide him with medical assistance, the hospital authorities claimed that the family initially refused medical attention for the baby.

The grandmother told The Hindu, “The hospital staff asked us to take the baby home saying that the baby is healthy. They said that the baby didn’t require medical attention. They provided no medical assistance or guidance for caring for the newborn."

Later when the media persons noticed the incident, they questioned the hospital's insensitivity and contacted the District Surgeon and the District Health and Family Welfare Officer regarding the matter. Moments later, the hospital staff rushed to the grandmother and admitted the newborn for medical care. 

Meanwhile, the husband of the deceased wife claimed that a doctor at Afzalpur hospital was also responsible for her death, as a nurse conducted the delivery without the doctor's presence, who had refused to attend. As a result, he filed a complaint of medical negligence against the doctor.

"The blood pressure of the new mother dropped and on the instruction of the nurse, she was shifted to the district hospital. The doctors at the district hospital also did not treat her properly and she died," the complaint alleged.

However, the allegations have been denied by District Surgeon Dr Rukhia Asana Rabba who told DH, "The patient had bleeding after her blood pressure dropped due to shock and there was no medical negligence."

District Health Officer Dr Sharanabasappa Kyatanal and District Health and Family Welfare Officer have assured the family that action will be taken against the responsible person if found guilty in a probe ordered in this regard. 

Also read- Boy develops weakness in left foot following administration of two injections, Doctor terminated from service