A preliminary investigation conducted into the shocking death of a newborn baby whose mother was denied admission in Srinagar’s Lal Ded hospital has established “negligence of the doctor on duty”, officials said on Monday.
Quoting findings of the preliminary probe committee, an order issued by the principal, government medical college Srinagar, read: “The preliminary investigation report has prima-facie established negligence on part of the doctor-on-duty (a PG second year student) by not admitting the patient that too with the breech presentation”.
On Thursday afternoon, Surayya Begum from Moori village in northern Kupwara district, who was 34-weeks pregnant, was rushed to the primary health center Kalaroos by her relatives.
The doctors at the PHC referred Begum to the district hospital Kupwara where the doctors further referred her to the Srinagar’s Lal Ded hospital.
After preliminary investigations and examination, Begum was asked to go home by the doctor on duty at the LD hospital at around 8 pm, according to her relatives.
Within half an hour of leaving the hospital, Begum delivered a baby on a roadside, outside Masjid Noor at Bemina area, her brother had said.
“The baby was born alive, but died moments later, while my sister wreathed in pain on the road,” he had said.
The incident triggered a massive outcry across Kashmir, leading to a demand for strict action against the staff involved in the alleged negligence.
“The patient was refused admission by the doctor-on-duty, not following the standard operating procedures, whereas such kind of a behaviour is against medical ethics and in violation of the oath taken by the doctor at the time of her joining the PG course,” reads the order.
After the public outrage, medical superintendent of the LD hospital had constituted a four-member committee headed by Dr Farhat Jabeen, professor and head, Obstetrics and Gynaecology department to inquire into the incident, while the accused doctor was suspended and attached with the office of the GMC principal.
In its report quoted in the order, the committee has found that the doctor-on-duty sent the patient for further investigation and ultrasound.
“Ultrasound findings were suggestive of 34 weeks baby with breech presentation and the doctor with her clinical assessment/USG didn’t anticipate a precipitate delivery in her, although unfortunately the doctor on duty went against the SOP for referrals by not admitting the patient,” reads the order, adding that the incident needs to be inquired into further “to take the matter to its logical conclusion”.
The GMC has now formed a four-member broad-based inquiry committee headed by principal medical college Anantnag, Prof Showkat A Jeelana, to further probe the incident and submit its report within next two days.
The incident is being probed as per government directions, an official source said.
On Saturday, divisional commissioner Kashmir had written to GMC Srinagar to constitute an inquiry committee “so that appropriate action is taken against the concerned if found liable for such negligence/act”.