Tribal woman in labour pain made to sit on hospital steps for hours, alleges activist

THANE: A 28-year-old tribal woman, who was in labour pain, was made to sit on the footsteps of a governmentrun hospital at Bhiwandi in Thane district by its staff for nearly 11 hours, who asked her relatives to get her medical tests done first, a social activist alleged on Sunday.

The incident occurred at Indira Gandhi Memorial (IGM) Hospital on Saturday, activist Pramod Pawar said.

The medical superintendent of the hospital, however, said that he was not aware that the pregnant woman was made to sit outside the facility for hours, and that when he was informed about it, he immediately arranged for her admission.

"The woman, Rohini Maruti Mukne, a resident of a village near Bhiwandi, developed labour pain and was brought to the hospital around 1 pm yesterday. However, the hospital staff refused to admit her and made her wait on the footsteps till midnight. The staff asked her relatives to get her blood and other tests done first and also make arrangements for the blood supply," he said.

When the activist and other members of his organisation came to know about it, they raised the issue with the hospital management.

Finally, its medical superintendent intervened and the woman was finally admitted to the facility, he said.

When contacted, Rajesh More, medical superintendent of IGM Hospital, said, he was not aware that the woman was made to sit outside the hospital.

"When I came to know about it around 10 pm, I immediately made arrangement to get her admitted," he said.