SHILLONG: A newborn baby died in Ganesh Das Hospital here on Tuesday evening shortly after birth, and hours after the mother had had to suffer the humiliation of being refused admission and turned away by the state government-run hospital in the morning as she was from Mawlai Mawtawar, a containment zone in the city.
The hospital called the woman back in the evening after some NGOs raised the matter with DHS (MI) Dr Aman War. She eventually delivered the baby. Soon after, around 7.30 pm, the baby died.
Agitated over the incident, Mawlai legislator PT Sawkmie has asked the Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC) to intervene and take action against the staff of the hospital.
War said the woman was called back after the hospital made arrangement for additional beds. He said he was waiting for a detailed report on the death of the baby.
He said the patient was sent back home since there was apprehension among the doctors that there could be a risk to other patients as she was from a containment area.
“We have some isolation wards in the hospital but these were full. We did not admit since we would not have been able to accommodate her in the labour room for a long period,” Dr War said.
He said he understood the apprehension of the doctors since they would have been blamed if the patient later turned out to be COVID positive.
War said he visited the hospital after the matter was brought to his notice.
He said it has been decided to convert two of the halls in the hospitals with 25 beds to receive patients who are suspected to be positive or those coming from the containment zones. “We will put them there and collect their samples. If they are negative then we will know that they are safe,” he added.
He said government hospitals cannot refuse to admit patients.
Sawkmie moves MHRC
Sawkmie said the MHRC should step in and take action against the staff for not admitting the pregnant woman.
“This is not the first time that government and the private hospitals have played with the lives of patients”, he said.
Earlier, a woman from Ri Bhoi had to face a similar fate as a hospital had turned her away. He also urged the government to take disciplinary action against the staff who misbehaved with the pregnant woman.
The MLA also wanted the district administration to notify the protocols to patients from containment zones.
Pregnant woman tests positive in Jowai
A pregnant woman, who was admitted at Jowai Civil Hospital for delivery, tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday.
Sources informed that the woman had gone to Jowai Civil Hospital, Ialong on Sunday and her test result came out positive for COVID on Tuesday.