Pregnant woman’s death unveils chinks in MCH Anantnag

The death of a pregnant woman in the maternity and childcare hospital (MCH) Anantnag has bought to fore the loopholes in its basic healthcare system even as the doctors Saturday protested the lack of safety measures at the facility.

The samples of the 35-year-old deceased, Ruqaya Jan, who had delivered dead twins in the hospital, tested positive for coronavirus last evening. Suffering from Intra Uterine Death (IUD) she had turned to the hospital from his native village Kharpora in Larnoo, Kokernag- a designated red zone.

In disregard to the set protocol, she had not been isolated immediately and instead admitted to the general ward along with other patients. Later, she had been taken to the labour room for delivery and then isolated.

After her death, her samples were taken for testing to ascertain if she was infected with coronavirus.

The family of the deceased had alleged medical negligence following which an inquiry was ordered into the matter by the hospital authorities.

Late last evening her samples had returned positive sending the hospital administration into a tizzy. Initially, the hospital authorities had denied that the test report had come.

Seven doctors that included three consultants, one medical officer (MO), one senior resident (SR) and two junior residents (JR), besides two paramedics who had come in contact with the deceased woman isolated themselves immediately.

Today the doctors refused to work asking the hospital administration to first equip them with necessary protective gear and also shift the facility from the present congested place to some new place. None of the patients was admitted to the hospital, till late afternoon today.

The doctors later met the principal GMC Anantnag and decidedto work provided the safety measures were put in place. “We categorically toldhim that we don’t want the patients to suffer but provide us the necessaryprotection gears,” a medic said.

The hospital is functioning from the congested anddilapidated building in the old town locality of Sherbagh. “Let the healthauthorities take a call and designate some other hospital in the district asMCH for now. Or else take over some private nursing home,” the medicossuggested.

The doctors later joined back their duties with thecondition that patients from red zones and its adjoining areas won’t beadmitted in the hospital. They also sought proper fumigation of the labourrooms and wards.  “What if the deceasedwoman has come in contact with the patients who were already in the hospital ortheir attendants,” asked a medico. He doubted that contact tracing would bepossible here. “There is likelihood of the hospital emerging as Covid19hotspot,” a medic said.

Meanwhile, the pregnant ladies, who had turned to the hospitalfrom far off villages, had to return untreated. “We bought our daughter herefor delivery, but the doctors refused to admit her,” said parents of DilAfroza, who had come from Wakhil Bala, the village of Shangus, designated as abuffer zone.

The family was forced to take her to Srinagar. “We also went to a private nursing home but were refused admission after undergoing investigations,” the dejected parents told Greater Kashmir.

Principal GMC Anantnag, Dr Showkat Jeelani said: “Thecovid19 probable pregnant women and those coming from red zones will be sent to JVC- SKIMS.” “The decision to shift the hospital to some other place is yet to be taken by the government. For now, the hospital will function from its present location,” he said.

Dr Jeelani said three doctors have been told to isolate.

Negligence

The hospital authorities instead of putting the body of the woman in mortuary had handed over the body to the family for last rites immediately. The health authorities are now tracing the contacts that performed the ablution of the body.

“We have traced most of the contacts, put them in quarantine and taken their samples,” Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Anantnag said. He, however, said the official confirmation of the deceased pregnant woman testing positive was still awaited.