Woman delivers under a tree at government hospital, family alleges negligence

NALGONDA: KCR Kits are meant for women who deliver at government hospitals. Now, does a pregnant woman who is forced to deliver under a tree on the premises of a government hospital fit the bill? The question here is not of KCR Kits but that of the alleged negligence of hospital staff that forced Sawthi, a native of Subbareddygudem village of Miryalaguda mandal, to deliver a baby boy on the premises of Government District Headquarters hospital on wee hours of Thursday.

A pregnant Swathi was brought to the hospital on Wednesday night. Here, the duty staff after observing her for a while, and without reportedly conducting any tests, declared that the blood percentage in her body was lower than the required level. The staff, claiming that AB positive blood was not available at the hospital, referred her to Kamineni Hospital, Narketpally. 

She was then shifted to Kamineni hospital but as the family was unable to pay for the hospital expenses, they returned to the headquarters hospital post midnight. With no place for shelter, the family slept under a shed arranged for attendants on the premises.

Meanwhile, early morning on Thursday Swathi went into labour and delivered a baby boy with the help of other attendants. Later, the hospital staff shifted the mother and the baby inside. However, by this time, the family members had sat on a protest alleging negligence on part of the hospital staff.  

Swathi’s husband Shanker, speaking to Express, alleged that the hospital staff did not perform any tests on his wife and rejected to admit her to the maternity ward on the pretext of non-availability blood.  “My wife delivered normally without any requirement of blood. Both mother and baby are safe,” he said, demanding action against the duty staff.

Hospital superintendent Narsingh Rao, meanwhile, said that he would inquire about the issue and action would be taken against the staff concerned.