Woman ‘discharged’ soon after delivery

Woman ‘discharged’ soon after delivery Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 20
Tension prevailed at the Government Hospital, Gandhi Nagar, here this morning when a woman, who had given birth to a baby girl early today, was allegedly refused a bed by the hospital authorities.
Relatives and neighbours of Savitri, a resident of Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh and living in Simbal village, held a protest and raised slogans against the hospital authorities.
They claimed that Savitri was “forcibly” discharged around 6 am today, nearly three hours after the delivery.
Manjeet Kaur, Savitri’s neighbour, said, they had come to the hospital last night. “Though Savitri,who was admitted to the hospital gave birth to a child, she was directed to vacate the bed in the labour room a few hours later,” she alleged.
Manjeet said, “Is it human to ask a woman, who has given birth to a child a few hours ago, to sit on the floor outside the labour room? The doctors also refused to conduct tests on the newborn and asked the woman to go to the SMGS Hospital in case of any complication.”
Savitri also alleged, “I was not in a position to go anywhere and sat outside the labour room with the baby.”
“I don’t demand anything from the hospital authorities. I want them to save my baby, as she is just a few hours old. Such a treatment can claim the baby’s life. The doctors should at least behave properly with the patients,” added Savitri.
However, the doctors said the baby was normal and hence the mother was discharged. Dr Ramesh Birpuri, Medical Officer of the hospital, said, “The baby was normal and there was nothing to worry about. The patient and her neighbours are not telling the truth. Some people are unnecessarily trying to make an issue. The doctors on duty did not refuse to give her a bed.”
“Still, if the patient wants, she will be admitted to the hospital. We have enough beds,” added Dr Birpuri.
Relatives and neighbours of Savitri talk to the authorities at the Gandhi Nagar Government Hospital in Jammu on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Inderjeet Singh