22 mothers died during delivery in DK district in 2015-16

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, May 12: Dakshina Kannada district deputy commissioner, A B Ibrahim, instructed the concerned to suspend licences of hospitals which do not furnish satisfactory explanations towards deaths of women during delivery, and of doctors whose negligence is established. He noted with concern that cases of deaths of women during childbirth is on the increase in different hospitals of the district, speaking at the health mission meeting held at Netravati hall of the zilla apanchayat here on Wednesday May 11.

Ibrahim gathered information about the steps undertaken by the department about cases of deaths of mother or child during delivery from the medical officers.

He noted with regret that the district health officer does nothing other than serving notices on hospitals and doctors concerning deaths of women during delivery. Normally, the hospitals do not respond to these notices, and no one questions them about this reluctance. He felt that these people do not seem to be afraid of legal ramifications of inaction, and hence asked the health officers to register notices under section 307 against the doctors who are prima facie found to be negligent.

The deputy commissioner took to task district health and family welfare officer and child welfare officials, seeking to know why no action was taken even when negligence of doctors was clearly mentioned as the reason during investigation. "Are you hand in glove with the guilty?" he wanted to know.

He said that in all the 22 cases of deaths of mothers during delivery in the district during the year 2015-16, evasive replies were furnished, and the district health officer did not conduct proper investigation, nor was the reason for the deaths pinpointed. Observing that in most of the cases deaths seemed to have occurred on account of failure to get treatment on time, he directed the health department to tackle this issue in all seriousness.

When superintendent of Lady Goschen Hospital, Dr Savita, said that KMC Hopsital has not responded to the request to provide two intensive care unit beds, the deputy commissioner noted that the hospital is obliged to provide these two beds as per agreement, and asked her to write to the hospital, drawing its attention to this violation.

When the resident medical officer of Wenlock Hospital, who reached the meeting about 90 minutes behind schedule, tried to occupy his seat at the dais, Ibrahim asked him to leave the place.