‘Dead body taken away without completing formalities’
Irfan Tramboo
Anantnag, May 3: A 25-years old pregnant lady today died at the Mother & Childcare Hospital (MCH), Anantnag due to alleged medical negligence of the doctors resulting in strong resentment among the residents of the area.
Shakeela wife of Zahoor Ahmad resident of Salia, was referred from SDH Seer to MCH Anantnag after her labour pain increased last night. However, officials said that she breathed her last at the MCH Anantnag today morning, while the family stated that she died on her way to MCH Anantnag.
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The family has alleged that the lady died because of the negligence of doctors at SDH Seer as they did not refer her on time. The family said that the doctors did not refer her earlier and did that only after her condition deteriorated.
However, doctors at SDH Seer told Excelsior that after the lady was admitted at the hospital, she was examined and attended by a Gynaecologist and was later admitted as per protocol.
Meanwhile, the Chief Medical Officer, Anantnag as well as the Block Medical Officer, Mattan have ordered inquiries into the matter in order to fix the responsibility.
“After she was admitted, she was here overnight while she underwent mild labour pain. Later, the pain intensified and she was shifted to MCH Anantnag in an ambulance. She was conscious and was referred to MCH Anantnag in an alive state, but she later died there, the cause of which is being investigated,” Dr Muksit Nadeem of SDH Seer, who is also a member of 7-member committee formed by the BMO Mattan to investigate into the matter, told Excelsior.
Sensing the gravity of the situation, the district administration has also ordered an inquiry into the matter and the facts are being ascertained. In the meantime, Block Medical Officer Mattan suspended a Medical Officer Dr Ridwana and staff nurse Zareefa who were on night duty when the incident took place.
The events took a new turn when a video which went viral showed the family members of the lady carrying her dead body from MCH Anantnag to their residence on a hospital stretcher allegedly after they were denied an ambulance.
However, the district administration was quick to respond that the preliminary inquiry suggests that the family did not fulfil the formalities and left without letting the hospital authorities know.
The officials said that the attendants did not want to wait for the burial on account of tests and other formalities.
“Prima facie, medical negligence that warranted immediate suspensions; further action shall follow after enquiry outcome. About denial of ambulance, the infuriated attendants apprehensive about delay in burial on account of tests, took away the dead body without completing formalities,” Assistant Commissioner Revenue (ACR) Syed Yasir Farooq who is heading the inquiry carried out by the district administration said.
The same was echoed by Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag Bashir Ahmad Dar in a tweet saying that the preliminary reports suggest the dead body was taken away by relatives fearing they will have to wait for burial if sample is taken for COVID-19 test.
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