NONGPOH, Aug 18: A family from Mawpun Kshaid in Umroi, Ri-Bhoi, has accused a community health centre (CHC) of prescribing an overdose of medicine to a pregnant mother which has allegedly led to the death of the baby inside the mother’s womb.
Speaking to media persons on Thursday, family members of the pregnant woman, Liza Mary Marbaniang — Mitilda Marbaniang and Rubinica Marbaniang — said the woman had developed labour pain around 11 pm on August 14, following which she was rushed to Bhoirymbong CHC.
At the health centre, necessary check-up was conducted and it was discerned that Liza had high blood pressure. Three doses of medicine to lower her blood pressure were provided to her.
However, after that, there were no more check-ups and no attendant to keep an eye on her, according to the family members. They were allegedly also not informed about when she would give birth to the child.
Regardless, on August 16, the CHC directed the family members of Liza to shift her to a hospital in Shillong. Before heading to Shillong, they, however, took her to Mawpun Kshaid residence of the family, where the woman developed labour pain again and eventually gave birth to the child.
Unfortunately, the child had already died inside her womb.
Clarifying on the allegations, Bhoirymbong CHC doctor T Sutnga said that when the pregnant woman was brought to the health centre, her blood pressure was high, and she was prescribed medicines to lower the blood pressure.
According to Dr Sutnga, after a thorough check-up on August 15, she still had high BP, so she was given the medicine again. They were also asked to take her to a hospital in Shillong as there were no infrastructure/instruments for Caesarean Section at the CHC, he added, while rubbishing the allegations that the death of the child is because of an overdose of BP medicine.
