Private doctor booked, probe ordered

LUDHIANA: A doctor has been booked and an inquiry ordered into the post-delivery death of a woman and her newborn child allegedly due to the negligence of a Khanna-based private hospital, which has triggered protests by relatives of the deceased.

The police have registered a case against Dr Rosy Jain under Section 304 A (causing death by negligence) of the IPC on Friday.

Victim Pritika was admitted at the Jain Multi-Specialty Hospital on the GT Road, Khanna on February 14 after she developed labour pains. The family claims that the hospital told them that it would be a natural delivery, but they were informed the next day that due to complications, a caesarean operation had to be conducted. After the delivery, the family members of Pritika were told that she and the newborn need to be shifted to another hospital as her condition became critical due to internal bleeding. The family then took Pritika to local Deep hospital where doctors admitted her baby but referred her to Dayanand Medical College & Hospital (DMCH).

“When we reached DMCH, the doctors told us that Pritika was brought dead. Meanwhile, the new born admitted at Deep hospital was referred to Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, on February 20 and then to PGI, Chandigarh,” said Jaswinder Singh, brother-in-law of Pritika. He said the family was told by the doctors at PGI that chances of survival of the newborn were bleak. “We brought the baby back home, where he died on Thursday evening.”

The death sparked protests and the deceased’s family reached Jain Multi Specialty Hospital and vandalised the property. Police was called in to bring the situation under control. The family has alleged that the health department and police authorities are working under pressure not to act against the hospital and the doctor concerned.

A board of doctors has been constituted to inquire into the matter. SMO Rajinder Gulati said the board will submit its report to the police and appropriate action will be taken in case any discrepancy is found. Dr Parvesh Jain, owner of the hospital, said the patient had come for delivery and it was a normal case. “However before the procedure for normal delivery could start, Dr Rosy Jain decided that delivery should be through caesarean section. “A senior gynaecologist then examined the case and a normal delivery was done, instead of an operation,” he added. Dr Jain also said that the hospital would present its version in front of the panel of doctors formed to examine the cause of the woman’s death.

Khanna SSP Satinder Singh said an FIR has been registered and further action will be taken after the panel of doctors submits its report.