Telangana HC issues notices as woman in labour made to visit five hospitals dies

The Telangana High Court on Wednesday issued notices to Deputy Commissioner of Medical Health and Family Welfare, Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad, Commissioner of Director of Public Health, Superintendent of Govt. General Hospital (GGH) in Mahbubnagar district, and Principal Secretary of the Medical Health and Family Welfare department directing them to file their counters in a suo moto taken-up PIL.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice N Tukaramji took up the PIL following a news report about the death of one Charagonda Swarna (24) and her newborn, purportedly due to medical negligence at GGH, Mahabubnagar in December 2022.

Swarna, a native of Yellampalli village of Amrabad mandal in Nagarkurnool district, went into labour and her parents took her by 108 Ambulance to the PHC at Padara, which is 4 km away. The staff there tested her and sent her to Amrabad hospital, about 10 km away.

The staff at that hospital then sent her to a hospital in Achampet, 25 km away, claiming they lacked the necessary equipment. The staff at Achampet hospital provided her with primary medical care because her BP was out of control and referred her to a hospital in Nagarkurnool, 35 km away. The staff there advised Swarna’s parents to take her to GGH Mahabubnagar, 50 km away.

By the time she was brought to the GGH in Mahabubnagar, it was 2 am. The doctors performed normal delivery, but after giving birth to a baby boy, Swarna died due to fits. Soon after, the baby also died. Despite travelling 124 km to deliver the baby, both the mother and child passed away.

According to the medical officer at Amrabad Hospital, the inability to execute important births in the healthcare facility was caused by a lack of equipment in the operating room and absence of specialists.  Swarna was suffering from high BP when she arrived at the hospital.

As her birth appeared to be in danger, she was sent to the Achampet Hospital, where they only handle routine deliveries, the medical officer said. Stating that the court needed to give the required instructions to the authorities and prevent maternal and perinatal mortality, the court issued notices.