Andhra Pradesh: Woman Delivers Baby On Footpath After Being Denied Admission At Hospital

In the series of reported medical negligence, a new case has been added with a pregnant woman being denied admission to a hospital and being forced to deliver her child in an unsafe environment. A video of the woman delivering the child near the hospital road has gone viral and has raised questions and criticisms against the hospital and health authorities.

The woman was allegedly denied entry to the hospital as she had no attendant. However, the hospital authorities denied the allegations and claimed that the pregnant woman had never consulted any doctors at the hospital.

Forced To Deliver On

Road

A report by the New Indian Express identified the destitute woman as Kanthari and reported that she was forced to deliver a child in front of the 100-bed Tirupati Maternity Hospital due to medical negligence. In the video that has gone viral, strangers can be seen coming to the rescue of the woman who was experiencing extreme labour pain while walking out of the hospital. Onlookers immediately shielded her with blankets and a man, who allegedly works at a primary healthcare centre, helped her safely deliver the child on the road.

According to several reports, she was refused admission to the hospital as there was no one accompanying her as an attendant. Officials claim that the woman and baby were later admitted to the hospital post-delivery. However, the video was picked up instantly and drew criticisms from netizens, political parties, and many others for failing to admit a pregnant woman and refusing her the rightful services to deliver her child safely.

Action Taken

Responding to the incident, the hospital authorities took the stand that the woman was unaware of her pregnancy and had never consulted the doctors at the hospital. Soon after the woman delivered the child, the hospital staff shifted the newborn and the mother to the ward for further care.

After the incident, Tirupati district collector K Venkataramana Reddy visited the hospital as a part of a preliminary enquiry and summoned the District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO), Dr U Sree Hari, to probe into the matter and submit a report to him by November 27. Commenting about the same, the DMHO in charge said that they were looking into the incident and assured that necessary action would be taken against those found guilty. He further assured that no pregnant woman would hereafter be denied admission to the hospital, even in the absence of an attendant.

Also Read: Odisha: Medical Negligence Allegedly Led To Death Of 13 Kids In 18 Days At Keonjhar Hospital