Assembly body wants probeinto Dangar PHC case
SHILLONG, June 7: The Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC) on Monday sought a detailed report from the state government on the death of pregnant nurse Manisha Turnia while on duty at the Ganesh Das Hospital on May 30.
The commission’s directive coincided with the Women Empowerment Committee (WEC) of the Meghalaya Assembly asking Health Minister A.L. Hek to probe the death of a young pregnant woman at Dangar Primary Health Centre (PHC).
In a statement, the MHRC secretary said they have taken cognisance of the case filed by the state president of Meghalaya Pradesh Mahila Congress on the matter relating to the death of the staff nurse who was 24 weeks pregnant.
The Mahila Congress attributed her death to negligence and the overzealousness of the hospital authority to disengage her from duties.
Demanding an inquiry into the Dangar PHC case, Mawsynram legislator and WEC member, H.M. Shangpliang said: “The medical team on duty on that fateful night should be held accountable and responsibilities should be fixed. The guilty should be punished as per law.”
He also said the NGO called VHAM running the PHC should be removed because of complaints and shortcomings in providing adequate health services as well as non-compliance of the terms of references in its agreement with the National Health Mission.
“Either a different NGO with a sound performance background is brought or the Health Department has to take over the PHC again,” he suggested.
The WEC member also said that the state government has to provide ex-gratia assistance to the family of Muny R. Marak, the pregnant woman who died due to negligence of the Dangar PHC authorities.
Shanpliang said he, the Mawsynram Block Development Officer and other officers had inquired into the incident.
The doctor on duty that day had reported that the 28-year-old Marak was brought to the PHC at 11 pm. The doctor observed that her delivery was not due.
The woman was kept in the general ward although she was in labour pain throughout the night.
The MLA said the woman’s relatives who were attending to her at the PHC went looking for the doctor and the nurses at 5 am the following day but were informed they had all gone to their residences. The woman gave birth without the help of the medical team.
“By the time the doctor and the nurses arrived it was too late,” Shangpliang said, adding that the woman was already weak due to excessive bleeding but was not taken to the operation theatre for resuscitation.
Rather, when the doctor saw the woman’s health was deteriorating, he referred her to the Mawsynram CHC. But she died on her way to Shillong, the MLA said.
“I request you to kindly take necessary action at the earliest and help attain the trust and confidence of the people in the health services in the state,” Shangpliang said.