Mumbai: Ill pregnant woman made to wait 12 hours, told to share bed

Mumbai: A pregnant woman who is suffering from diabetes and was experiencing dizziness, fever and low blood pressure was made to wait unattended for 12 hours at civic-run Sion Hospital on Wednesday night. The 27-year-old’s condition allegedly worsened on Thursday morning.

Firdous Khan, the pregnant woman, was eventually treated and had to share a bed with another patient. However, Sion Hospital dean Dr Suleman Merchant said they have to deal with a tremendous load of patients on a daily basis and have started Ms Khan’s treatment.

The total bed strength of the Sion Hospital is 1,462. Ms Khan, who is five months pregnant, was admitted in the medicine ward, which has 18 beds. All were occupied.  As Sion is the only civic trauma care hospital, a huge number of patients approach it for treatment on a daily basis.

Ms Khan, a resident of Govandi, has diabetes mellitus, which pertains to abnormally high levels of the sugar glucose in the blood. Ms Khan was seen and examined at 7.30 am on Thursday. She got admitted by 2.30 pm. Ms Khan said, “I was unwell and stated feeling giddy. I was rushed to Sion Hospital, where I was left unattended till today morning.”

“ I was crying in pain and nobody examined me or came to find out what went wrong with me. After my relatives started approaching higher authorities, I was examined, “ she said.

Dr Merchant refuted all the allegations made by the family.  When asked why Ms Khan had to share the bed and was left unattended, he said, “Due to the large load of patients she had to share a bed, till she could be allotted an independent bed. That is what upset the relatives,” he said.

“The patient’s relatives are totally distorting the picture. Our load is 14,000 deliveries per year, which is more than KEM, Nair and J.J hospitals put together. But we still try to accommodate everyone, without refusing anyone,” added Dr Merchant.