Treating COVID-19 patients is, no doubt, a priority for the government, but attending to medical emergencies and pregnant women cannot be undermined.

Making this observation, Telangana High Court on Monday instructed the State government to issue a circular ensuring that people facing medical emergencies are taken care of and pregnant women are attended to in all government hospitals. A bench of Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy passed the order, having taken up a letter written by lawyer K. Kishore Kumar as PIL petition.

The advocate wrote to the CJ expressing concern over the death of a woman, Jenila, and her newborn in Yapadine village of Leeja mandal in Jogulamba Gadwal district within two days of delivery in a government hospital. Her husband held the government responsible for the two deaths, alleging that she was made to travel for over 200 kms from Gadwal to Hyderabad to be admitted in a hospital for delivery.

As she developed pains before delivery, the family rushed her to the Primary Health Centre in Gadwal on April 24. Doctors there advised her family to shift her to neighbouring Kurnool of Andhra Pradesh, stating that she was anaemic. Due to lockdown, she could not be taken there.

With the help of district administration, she was taken to Mahbubnagar government hospital in an ambulance. Doctors there wanted her to be admitted to the government maternity hospital in Hyderabad as her condition was critical. “Doctors there refused to admit her and start necessary treatment for safe delivery of baby on the ground that she was coming from a COVID-19 hotspot area,” lawyer Kishore Kumar stated in his letter.

Doctors in Hyderabad hospital sent her to Gandhi hospital for coronavirus diagnostic tests stating it was mandatory. She tested negative and was sent back to maternity hospital where she gave birth to a baby boy. The newborn was taken to Niloufer Hospital after developing breathing complications. The baby died while undergoing treatment.

The woman was sent to Osmania General Hospital as her condition started deteriorating. She died there. Hearing the PIL petition, the bench said the government should think of making available adequate number of ambulances to attend to medical emergencies. These vehicles must be spread all over the State.

The bench directed the government to file a counter affidavit on the matter. It is posted to May 20 for next hearing.