Govt hospital to face inquiry for negligence

New Delhi: The Delhi high court has directed the AAP government to inquire whether there was any medical negligence by the Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital, which is accused of denying admission to a pregnant woman undergoing labo-ur pain that resulted in her giving birth in an auto rickshaw while returning home.

Justice Vibhu Bakhru issued the direction to the government and its department of health and family welfare based on the plea of the 25-year-old woman. She had demanded Rs 5 lakh compensation on account of alleged negligence by the hospital in providing treatment to her. The court said that if the facts, as stated by the woman, are correct then “there is a good ground to conduct an inquiry” to determine whether there was any medical negligence.

The court said, “Respondent no. 3 (department of health) is directed to institute a proper inquiry to determine whether there has been any medical negligence on the part of the attending doctor(s). The inquiry shall be completed within a period of 12 weeks from today. Needless to mention, if the said findings are indicative of medical negligence, a complaint would also be made to the Delhi Medical Council.”

Taking note of the wo-man’s plea, the court also directed that the amount of Rs 7,000, which was spent by the woman on a midwife to assist with her delivery, and medicines be reimbursed to her.

In her plea, the woman claimed that she had gone to the hospital at around 9.30 am on November 17 after “experiencing labour pain along with the rupture of membranes.”

The doctor on duty, however, refused to admit her and only gave injections to reduce the pain, saying that the cervix was not yet dilated and therefore delivery was not due, the petition, filed through lawyers Sija Nair Pal and Deepak Kumar Singh, said.

With no other option, the woman took an auto home and on the way, near ISBT Kashmere Gate bus station, she delivered the baby, the petition said.