Srinagar: A woman delivered a child in the hospital premises in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Saturday after doctors allegedly refused to attend to her claiming she was COVID-19 positive.
The incident triggered massive outrage in the area with people demanding action against the hospital authorities.
The family members of the woman said she was scheduled to deliver today but the doctors refused to admit her citing COVID-19 despite her condition being very critical.
Eye-witnesses said that the woman was crying in pain for over half-an-hour and delivered at the hospital gate while her relatives tried to hide her in the blankets amid heavy downpour.
Abdul Aziz Bhat, the woman’s husband, said they brought her to the hospital at around 10:00 am, but the doctors there refused to admit her despite her “condition being evident to everyone.”
A woman bystander claimed being witness to the incident said “there was no doctor or paramedical staff to attend her. She was forced to deliver in the hospital premises. All men saw her giving birth to a baby, it is a shame!”
A local news agency quoted the concerned Medical officer as saying that the patient had tested positive for COVID-19. “I referred her to CHC Hajin where COVID19 positive patients from the district deliver, but due to unknown reasons they didn’t get into the ambulance and delivered on the road.”
The Medical officer said “she was not rejected treatment but was even administered injections and line before being shifted, however, unfortunately, her pregnancy precipitated which resulted in her unexpected delivery.”
Medical Superintendent Bandipora hospital, Dr Bashir Ahmad Teli while confirming the incident, claimed that “all the staff attended to her while delivery was being performed”.
Meanwhile, Dr Owais Ahmad, Deputy Commissioner Bandipora has issued a show-cause notice to Medical Superintendent and Medical Officer DH Bandipora who were on duty.
He has also constituted a committee of officers headed by ACR to enquire into the incident and submit a report within a week’s time.
