Ggn Civic Hospital: Mother, unborn child die as ambulance comes 'late'

Gurugram: Allegations have been again levelled at how the poor infrastructure at the government hospital resulted in yet another death. In the latest case of medical apathy, a pregnant mother and her unborn child both died after there was a delay in the arrival of the ambulance to take them to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi.

The deceased has been identified as Neha. The aggrieved family members of the deceased have claimed that Neha who had been suffering from medical complications owing to her pregnancy was coming to the hospital for the last two days. Her condition deteriorated on Thursday morning leading to her being taken to the emergency ward for operation. Lack of expertise at the government hospital made the doctors refer the patient to Safdarjung Hospital. The delay in the arrival of ambulance resulted, first in the death of the unborn child and subsequently, the mother.

Meanwhile, the staff at the hospital have stated that the patient was brought in a critical state and there was no medical lapse as being claimed. An inquiry has been launched in the matter after pressure from the family.

"What has happened is unfortunate. My initial inquiry into the matter has revealed that the patient was brought in an extremely critical state at around 6:40 am and she suffered medical complications owing to high blood pressure. This allegation is wrong that there was no availability of ambulance. We have five ambulances stationed regularly outside the emergency section," said Gulshan Arora, Chief Medical Officer of the Government Hospital.

"I have initiated an inquiry into the matter to make sure that the accountability of my staff is fixed. If there is any wrongdoing that is found on the part of the doctors and nurses, strict action will be initiated against them," he further added. This is not for the first time when the gynecology department of the Civil Hospital has courted controversies. Last year, owing to an ambulance breaking down, an unborn child lost the life.

In April, owing to shortage of beds there were reports of two women being made to deliver their babies at the washroom of the hospital.

Even though the state government has transferred certain senior officials of the hospital and have enhanced the facilities at the gynecology ward, there are still complaints of negligence on the part of the hospital staff.