Pregnant woman loses child in Rajasthan as docs allegedly refuse treatment over religion

Jaipur, April 5

A 32-year-old woman in Rajasthan's Bharatpur district lost her baby after doctors at a government hospital allegedly turned her away on learning that she was a Muslim.

The woman's husband, Irfan Khan, had earlier alleged that his wife had to deliver their child in an ambulance after the doctors refused to treat her.

However, Khan later said, "When I talked to the media earlier, I was under the impression that I was discriminated against due to my religion and in the backdrop of recent controversy arround Jamaat returnees. No doctor at the hospital turned us away citing our religion." 

He added that, "My wife was referred form Sikiri to Bharatpur, and doctors further referred her to Jaipur after administering an injection. My wife was given treatment."

In a probe conducted by the District Collector on Sunday, the woman's husband and sister denied of any discrimination by the attending doctor who referred her to Jaipur, sources said.

Before her, there were eight other pregnant women from the minority community, who were admitted to hospital and delivered babies without any discrimination, sources added. If she was turned away, how come she was admitted to the same hospital after her baby delivery in the ambulance, the probe committee headed by UIT Secretary said.

In an interaction with probe committee, the woman's sister denied of "any discrimination by anyone". 

Khan had earlier reportedly told mediapersons: “I reached the district hospital on Saturday morning where a lady doctor asked me about my details. She allegedly said you are a Muslim and you cannot be treated here. She asked another doctor to refer us to Jaipur,” he said.

“I moved out of the hospital with my wife. My wife delivered in an ambulance and my baby died due to negligence of doctors,” Khan said.

Health Minister Subhash Garg said the matter is being investigated by a team of the district administration. He denied of any such refusal to the patient on religion lines by the said hospital.

Meanwhile, Tourism Minister Vishvendra Singh in a series of tweets blamed his own Congress government for suppressing the truth.

“It is clear from the videos that the government is trying to suppress the truth. I am cabinet minister and do not speak without proof. Please do not cover up,” he said in a tweet tagging former state-cadre IAS officer Arvind Mayaram.

In another tweet, Singh said, “The Jamaat was/is a national disaster and hazard. But innocent Muslims suffering like this is painful. It does not mean that citizens of Islamic faith are treated the way a pregnant lady was handled by doctors in Bharatpur.”  Agencies/OC

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