Newborn dies, kin blame doctors

Nikhila Pant Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, May 18

High drama was witnessed at the Civil Hospital here today after kin of a lady, who lost her newborn child, accused doctors of negligence.

Sunita, a resident of Parasram Nagar, said her sister-in-law Meenu was admitted to the women and children unit in the hospital around 5 pm yesterday after she experienced labour pain.

“After the delivery of the baby this morning, the doctors told us that the newborn child was serious. However, a staff nurse, after conducting the ultrasound, had told us that the heartbeat of the child could not be traced and that there were chances that the baby would be stillborn. The doctors misled us into believing that the child died after birth,” she said.

Demanding action against the doctors, Meenu’s father-in-law Balvir Singh said, “If the doctors are to be believed, they tried to save the child. Then why was emergency care not given to Meenu and why was an operation not conducted? The doctors waited for a normal delivery.”

Meanwhile, Dr Ravi, who had come to check the child, claimed that he left his OPD and lost no time to examine the child.

“I received information only 10 before I examined the child. I found out that the child had already passed away,” he said.

Dr Shaina Kansal, who was attending to Meenu, said the lady was checked several times and till 6 am, she could hear the heartbeat of the child.

She added that around 9 am, she was informed that the heartbeat of the child could not be traced following which an x-ray examination was conducted, which proved it.

SMO Satish Goyal said all doctors working at the hospital were experienced and it was a normal delivery, after conducting ultrasound of the expectant woman.

“It is natural for the family, which has lost a newborn, to be angry and disappointed and blame others for the tragedy. On the basis of the complaint of the family, we are looking into the matter,” the SMO said.