BENGALURU: A 22-year-old woman, who was 32 weeks pregnant, was forced to deliver in an auto in front of KC General Hospital, after a number of hospitals denied treatment. She went into labour and delivered a stillborn baby on Monday morning. The family said they had visited many hospitals through the night and finally reached KC General Hospital at 3am, and here too, was turned away. They went to other hospitals, but returned to KC General around 8.30 am. By then, the woman had delivered the baby in the auto.

Former CM Siddaramaiah took to Twitter to highlight the case and asked CM BS Yediyurappa to take stern action against the hospitals.“A pregnant woman who was experiencing labour pain was denied treatment by many hospitals in Bengaluru. She lost her newborn baby after delivering in an auto rickshaw @CMofKarnataka, I urge you to take action against all the hospitals that denied treatment.... More non covid patients are dying in Karnataka due to denial of treatment by hospitals. Cancel the licenses of all hospitals that deny treatments. Just a mere warning will not move hospitals,” he tweeted.

However, medical superintendent BR Venkateshaiah denied the allegations and said, ‘The patient came with pain at 3 am, she was screened and it was found that there was no foetal heartbeat. But the family did not want to listen, and went to other hospitals. She did not receive treatment and came back to our hospital at 8.30 am, but by then she had delivered. The baby was dead in the womb for 3-4 days, and doctors delivered the baby completely, it was a macerated foetus. We have been checking on the patient and she is 
doing well now.”TNIE tried contacting the patient and her family, but they were unavailable for comment.