High drama at BJP’s Janata Milan

High Drama unfolded in the Bharatiya Janata Party state head office on Thursday as the mother and grandfather of a Down’s syndrome affected baby girl sat on a Dharna at the office. Demanding action against gynaecologist, Dr Archana Luthra whose gross negligence reportedly resulted in the birth of the baby with an incurable disease, the agitated family placed the baby on the table where Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal was holding Janata Milan programme. A wailing Kumkum, the mother of baby told the Minister that they are putting up their complaint for eighth time in the Janata Milan programme. She curtly told the minister that they will move from the spot only when justice is delivered to the baby.

The grandfather of the Down syndrome affected baby, Ram Kumar alleged that the Registrar of Uttarakhand Medical Council is sitting over the probe report which has indicted Dr Luthra.

The minister tried to call the registrar but his phone went unanswered. When inquired by the media persons, Uniyal said that he has taken a serious note of the issue but added that there is a procedure for everything.

Informing media persons, Ram Kumar said that Kumkum was under supervision of Dr Luthra during her second pregnancy. During the course of pregnancy, Dr Luthra advised triple test, however she ignored the test report which put the foetus under high risk of Down syndrome and went ahead with the pregnancy, he said.

The baby girl was born on April 22, 2017; the child had typical features which shocked the family members. The doctors advised Karyotype test, which confirmed that the child is suffering from the dreaded and incurable condition.

Kumkum alleged that the doctor never informed about the condition to the family even after the positive test report and went ahead with delivery of the child.

A shaken family then decided to fight for justice and after repeated appeals to the district health authorities an inquiry was ordered by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dehradun. The inquiry committee consisted of Additional CMO, Dr Sanjeev Dutt, Senior Pathologist Dr NK Mishra and Gynaecologist Dr Archana Verma. The committee found that Dr Luthra failed to intimate Kumkum and her husband about Down’s syndrome which is a chromosomal and genetic disorder.

Later in the afternoon, the registrar Dr Y S Bisht called back on the phone of the Minister and told him that his report is ready on the issue. The minister asked the family to take the report. Ramkumar told The Pioneer that the registrar in his report has absolved Dr Luthra of negligence. “ This is very unfortunate as Dr Luthra despite of all evidences against her is saved by the Uttarakhand Medical Council. I am not going to give up and would now lodge a complaint to the Medical Council of India,’’ he said.