Coimbatore: Power cut during C-section at GH leaves woman critical

COIMBATORE: A 22-year-old woman, who was moved to a private hospital directly from the operation theatre of Annur Government Hospital after electricity and generator failure on Wednesday, is fighting for her life at another private hospital.

While her baby is recuperating in an incubator, the woman’s poor family, which has spent over Rs 1.5 lakh on emergency medical treatment, is struggling to save her.

Sources said Vanmathi, wife of M Vigneshwaran, of Kumarapalayam near Annur, was admitted to the Annur GH for delivery last Monday. After assessing her condition, doctors fixed a Caesarean procedure at 10 am on Wednesday.

Around 9.30 am, after anaesthesia was administered, power went off at the hospital, and the generator too failed. A medical officer at the hospital said they had been waiting for approval from higher-ups for nearly a year to get the generator fixed.

Soon after administering anaesthesia power went off, says medical officer

According to Vigneshwaran, the panicked government hospital staff shifted his wife to a private hospital right opposite the GH and his wife delivered a baby after a Caesarean procedure. Vigneshwaran said after his wife suffered seizures during the operation and after the delivery, doctors advised the family to take her to the Coimbatore Government Hospital 35 km from Annur.

On the way to the GH on Wednesday, the woman again suffered seizures and the family had to admit her to another private hospital immediately. Speaking to TNIE, Vigneshwaran said, “I work as a tailor in a garment company in Tiruppur and earn Rs 450 per day. As I could not afford maternity care at a private hospital, I admitted her to Annur GH. But due to a power and generator failure at the government hospital, I was forced to spend more than Rs 1.5 lakh on my wife’s treatment. I have pledged all my jewels to meet the medical expense. My baby is fine but my wife is critical.”

When contacted, Dr Madhumathi, medical officer of Annur GH, said, “Soon after I gave anaesthesia to the woman, power went off. The Caesarean operation must be performed within five minutes of giving anaesthesia. The woman also had seizures. As we had no other option, we were forced to shift her to the private hospital to save the lives of the mother and baby.

As we need at least Rs 40,000 to fix the generator, we have been sending requests and waiting for approval from higher-ups for nearly a year. This is the first time we encountered such an emergency. As there was no time to take the patient to Coimbatore GH, we had to admit her to a private hospital.”

E Raja, joint director (i/c) of health, said, “We have formed a team to probe the issue. We have sought a report. We did not know about the issue with the generator before.”

COIMBATORE: A 22-year-old woman, who was moved to a private hospital directly from the operation theatre of Annur Government Hospital after electricity and generator failure on Wednesday, is fighting for her life at another private hospital. While her baby is recuperating in an incubator, the woman’s poor family, which has spent over Rs 1.5 lakh on emergency medical treatment, is struggling to save her. Sources said Vanmathi, wife of M Vigneshwaran, of Kumarapalayam near Annur, was admitted to the Annur GH for delivery last Monday. After assessing her condition, doctors fixed a Caesarean procedure at 10 am on Wednesday. Around 9.30 am, after anaesthesia was administered, power went off at the hospital, and the generator too failed. A medical officer at the hospital said they had been waiting for approval from higher-ups for nearly a year to get the generator fixed. Soon after administering anaesthesia power went off, says medical officer According to Vigneshwaran, the panicked government hospital staff shifted his wife to a private hospital right opposite the GH and his wife delivered a baby after a Caesarean procedure. Vigneshwaran said after his wife suffered seizures during the operation and after the delivery, doctors advised the family to take her to the Coimbatore Government Hospital 35 km from Annur. On the way to the GH on Wednesday, the woman again suffered seizures and the family had to admit her to another private hospital immediately. Speaking to TNIE, Vigneshwaran said, “I work as a tailor in a garment company in Tiruppur and earn Rs 450 per day. As I could not afford maternity care at a private hospital, I admitted her to Annur GH. But due to a power and generator failure at the government hospital, I was forced to spend more than Rs 1.5 lakh on my wife’s treatment. I have pledged all my jewels to meet the medical expense. My baby is fine but my wife is critical.” When contacted, Dr Madhumathi, medical officer of Annur GH, said, “Soon after I gave anaesthesia to the woman, power went off. The Caesarean operation must be performed within five minutes of giving anaesthesia. The woman also had seizures. As we had no other option, we were forced to shift her to the private hospital to save the lives of the mother and baby. As we need at least Rs 40,000 to fix the generator, we have been sending requests and waiting for approval from higher-ups for nearly a year. This is the first time we encountered such an emergency. As there was no time to take the patient to Coimbatore GH, we had to admit her to a private hospital.” E Raja, joint director (i/c) of health, said, “We have formed a team to probe the issue. We have sought a report. We did not know about the issue with the generator before.”