Turned away by private hospital, woman delivers baby in car

Shivamogga: A woman from Thirthahalli taluk in Shivamogga, who was denied admission by a private hospital, delivered baby on the way to another hospital in the wee hours of Monday.
Writhing in labour pain, the woman, a resident of Kankalli village of Dyamanakere gram panchayat, was first taken to Thirthahalli taluk hospital, but the maternity division had been sealed after a staffer tested positive to Covid-19. As suggested by the health department staff, the family members rushed her to a private hospital. But the hospital insisted on a Covid negative report. When all their pleas to admit her went unheard, they decided to take her to Shivamogga, 60km from Thirthahalli, for the test.
However, a few miles from Thirthahalli, the woman gave birth in the car. Both the mother and baby are doing fine.
The family members said they were not aware that the government hospital’s maternity section was closed. “The private hospital staff thought that the government hospital had denied treatment to her. So they demanded a non-Covid certificate. Left with no option, we planned to take her to Shivamogga government hospital. However, she delivered a baby girl outside the hospital. The government hospital in Thirthahalli admitted her after she delivered,” they said.
Shivamogga deputy commissioner KB Sivakumar has sought a report from Thirthahalli taluk administration and promised action.
Thirthahalli tahsildar Sripad told TOI that the health department has started an inquiry into the incident. “We’ll take the statements of family members and the private hospital management,” he added.