Family blames hospital staff for neonatal death

Manmeet Singh Gill

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 5

The death of neonatal has been reported from Ajnala after the pregnant woman failed to get timely help.

A staff member of the Civil Hospital, Ajnala, said the gynaecologist was on leave and the attendants of the patient, Gurjit Kaur, were advised to transport her to Amritsar.

Later, the family members called 108 ambulance but she delivered the child on the way. Gurjit Kaur’s mother-in-law Amar Kaur said, “By the time we returned back to the hospital, the child was already dead.”

She alleged that if the hospital staff had admitted Gurjit Kaur, the child could have been saved.

She alleged that even after the child was dead, the hospital staff refused to admit Gurjit Kaur as she required immediate help.

She said the patient was admitted only after the family took a stiff stand.

Meanwhile, the hospital staff said the child was in an inverted position and as the gynaecologist was on leave, in view of the specialised medical care, the family was referred to Amritsar.

Hospital’s Senior Medical Officer Dr Ashok Arora said, “The mother has been admitted at the hospital and undergoing treatment.”