In a tragic incident, the family of a woman from Maharashtra`s Palghar district has alleged that she lost her baby during delivery at a government hospital. As reported by news agency PTI, the incident happened as there was no doctor for several hours in the hospital, the hospital authorities rejected the claims.
According to the husband of 25-year-old Vaishali Ashok Batre, she was taken to Mokhada Rural Hospital on the morning of October 22 for delivery.
The husband further claimed that no doctor was available for nearly 12 hours and only a nurse was on duty during the critical period. He said that the lack of timely medical intervention and expert care resulted in the death of their newborn during delivery.
It was further alleged that the hospital later sent the tribal woman and her deceased to the Khodala Primary Health Centre, as per PTI.
While the allegations against the hospital authorities raised major concerns, the Taluka Medical Officer, Dr Bhausaheb Chattar, denied the allegations of negligence. Speaking to the media on Friday about the incident, he said that a doctor was indeed present at the hospital but was attending to an emergency case involving a snakebite at the time of delivery.
Dr Chattar emphasised, “When the baby was found not crying immediately after birth, the doctor rushed to the ward but discovered the infant lifeless,” as cited by news agency PTI.
Citing preliminary findings, he said the baby perhaps had a congenital anomaly. “There was no negligence on the part of the medical team. We also have backup staff at the hospital,” he added.
Murder accused escapes from Panvel hospital under judicial custody
In another scenario, earlier on October 13, a murder accused under judicial custody managed to escape from Prachin Hospital in Panvel. The incident left police red-faced. The accused, identified as Rajkumar Mhatre, was admitted for treatment under police supervision. Mhatre was arrested last month in an attempt-to-murder case registered at Khutali, Taloja, and was being treated for undisclosed ailments.
According to the police sources, accused Mhatre gave officers the slip sometime on Friday while still admitted to the hospital. His disappearance went unnoticed until a routine check revealed he was missing.
The incident has sparked outrage and embarrassment among authorities, with questions raised over how a judicial custody prisoner could vanish from a private hospital without anyone noticing it.
(With inputs from PTI)
