Denied Admission, Woman Delivers Stillborn On LD Gate

SRINAGAR — A woman from far-flung Kalaroos area in frontier Kupwara district was allegedly denied overnight stay at Lal Ded Hospital following which she gave birth to a baby on the road outside and the newborn died.

Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Khan, ordered an inquiry to ascertain the factual position after reports of denial of entry of the pregnant woman into Lal Ded Hospital came to the fore.

A doctor, who didn’t admit the pregnant woman has been also attached with the principal government medical college Srinagar.

According to the family, the woman, Suraiya had developed complication on Thursday in her village Moori, which is in Kalaroos, close to the Line of Control in Kupwara district, some 100 kilometers from Srinagar.

“The area has around five feet snow at present. We took her on our shoulders to Kalaroos hospital. At the Kalroos, the doctors saw her and then advised that she be referred to Kupwara”, said Wazir Ahmad, Suraya’s husband. He said, at Kupwara they gave us ambulance and sent us to L.D Hospital.

“At about 8 p.m. after conducting tests here at L.D hospital Srinagar the doctor told us to leave,” says Wazir. “We told them where will we go this time? But the doctor didn’t listen to us and shouted at us. She called us Gujjars in derogatory manner and asked us to take the medicine and leave,” Wazir told reporters. He said Suraya gave birth to a child outside hospitalgates and died instantly.

As the news went viral, the Divisional commissioner Kashmir asked Principal/Dean, Government Medical College Srinagar to inquire into the matter and submit the report in two days.

“This news item needs a thorough enquiry to find out the factual position, so that appropriate action is taken against the concerned if found liable for such negligence/ act,” the order read.

Khan asked the inquiry officer to treat the matter ‘most urgent’.

“You are accordingly directed to enquire into the matter and furnish the inquiry report along with your explicit comments within two days, treating the matter most urgent,” the order said.

The incident has sparked outrage in the Valley with political parties across party lines asking the Governor Satya Pal Malik to probe the incident.

“I hope the state functionaries working under the command of @jandkgovernor take immediate action in this tragic case,” former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted.

“Heart wrenching that a pregnant woman was turned away from a hospital which ironically is named after the great Kashmiri mystic saint Lal Ded.  She later gave birth to a still born in frigid temperatures. Cannot even begin to fathom the pain & trauma the parents must feel,” former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said.

 “Woman gives birth on road. It is imperative that action is taken. Overall there is a dire need to reorient health devices to challenges of today,” Peoples Conference Sajad Gani Lone said.

“It is extremely shameful that a woman from Kupwara had to deliver her baby on roadside in LD Hospital. In today’s times it is hard to imagine that our people have to still face such hardships. I hope we can focus on development of proper Maternity and Child Health Care facilities in remote areas of State so that people are not forced to travel to Srinagar/Jammu,” IAS officer turned politician Shah Faesal said.

Pradesh Congress Committee president G A Mir expressed serious concern over the incident and described it as shameful, deplorable and unfortunate.

Mir expressed hope the Governor-led state administration would take strong notice of the incident, reform the health sector in the state and ensure that no such incident happens in the future.

The incident has also sparked debate among doctors with some arguing that seniors should be held responsible for the incident instead of some registrar or Post Graduate.

“I hope some PG, registrar is not made a scapegoat. The first person to be held responsible has to be MS for whatever has happened, the residents there work in most inhumane conditions. And if my memory serves me right, JK was ranked no one in health care delivery peripheral health system,” says Dr. Adil Ashraf.

JJ Panel Aghast, Demands CWC To Register Case

The Juvenile Justice Panel has expressed deep shock and anguish over criminal negligence of LD Authorities in refusing to admit and to provide medical assistance at the Hospital, to a lady from Kalaroos, Kupwara.

The lady because of the alleged negligence was forced to deliver on road side in sub-zero temperature, resulting in death of new born.

Justice Hasnain Masoodi (Chairperson, Selection cum Oversight Committee) and G.A Sofi (Mission Director, ICPS) lamented over the gross negligence of the Doctors at LD, while inaugurating one day Capacity Building workshop for Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) for Chairperson and Members of CWCs of Jammu Division.

It was pointed out that Right to be born and Right to survive are important rights of a Child, recognized under International Convention on Child Rights (CRC), Constitution of India and the State and any violation of the rights is not only condemnable in strongest words but punishable under Law.

The incident was said to indicate insensitivity of stakeholders to the Child Rights and Child Protection issues.

Justice Masoodi requested Advisor (K) to initiate a time bound probe into the matter so that erring Doctors/ officials are identified and dealt with under Law without any delay and consider overhauling the Hospital Administration in the meantime.

The CWC, Srinagar has been asked to enquire into the matter and on the basis of outcome get a case registered against the Doctor responsible for the incident, under relevant provisions of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2013 as also Ranbir Penal Code.

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