By Dipaneeta Das: A pregnant woman was forced to deliver her baby on a Toto e-rickshaw after a doctor refused to admit her to the hospital, the family claimed. The incident took place in Krishnanagar town of Nadia district in West Bengal.
The family alleged that the woman had been experiencing labour pains for several hours and was rushed to the Krishnanagar district hospital on Wednesday. However, the doctor on duty refused to admit her, diagnosing that her delivery was not due until a month after the preliminary examination.
Despite the pleas of the woman’s family, the doctor remained adamant and turned them away. Desperate and with no other options, the woman’s family decided to take her back home.
“I brought my granddaughter to the district hospital after she was undergoing intense labour pains. But the doctor let her go within minutes, saying that she would not deliver the baby until a month. However, within half an hour she faced excruciating contractions. We attempted to bring her back to the hospital but couldn’t. She had to deliver the baby in unhygienic conditions in a Toto,” said Bhagirathi Biswas, grandmother of the woman.
CHILD DIES AFTER DELIVERY
Soon after the birth, the newborn and the mother were taken to Krishnanagar district hospital, where the child was declared dead. The family claimed medical negligence in a letter to the Chief Medical Health Office (CMOH).
The incident also sparked outrage among local residents, who accused the doctor of negligence and called for an inquiry into the matter.
Meanwhile, the doctor in question denied the allegations and claimed that the child was stillborn. “The doctor told us that the newborn died three to four days before birth. The newborn was in a state of decomposition inside the mother’s stomach,” said Papiya Das, another family member, adding that “Why did the doctor not inform us before? How could he say the delivery was not due until next month?”
CASE FILED
The family has lodged a formal complaint with Krishnanagar Kotyali police station. The doctor, however, has refused to come to the forefront. Meanwhile, the district health chief officer’s office has also filed a complaint against the doctor, citing negligence.
(With inputs by Nilay Bhattacharya)
