Karnataka: Doctor, 3 Nurses Suspended After Woman And Twin New-Born Die Of Negligence

A woman and her twin new-born died of negligence and dereliction of duty by doctor and three nurses who denied treatment as the woman did not have an Aadhar card. They were suspended by Karnataka health minister.

Bangalore: A woman and her twin babies died in Tumakuru district on Wednesday night allegedly due to the negligence of a doctor and three nurses, who were later suspended.  It has been alleged that the woman was denied treatment at Tumakuru District Hospital as she did not have a “mother health card”.

The woman, identified as Kasturi, was a resident of Bharatinagar in Tumakuru. She used to live with her six-year-old orphaned daughter. She was sent by the local residents along with an old woman neighbour, to the district hospital, after she developed labour pain on Wednesday night. Despite asking for help, the pregnant woman was not given treatment and was asked to go to Victoria Hospital in Bangalore. The woman did not have money, so she returned home. On Thursday morning, while delivering the babies, the woman died due to severe blood loss. The children died too.

DOCTOR AND NURSES SUSPENDED

Kasturi hails from Tamil Nadu and has been living in Bhartinagar for the past one month. Locals have alleged that the Tumkur District Hospital doctor is responsible for the death of the pregnant woman and her two children. District Health Officer (DHO) Manjunath visited the incident site.

The locals took the matter to the DHO and demanded the suspension of guilty doctors. “The concerned doctors and staff in the district hospital have been suspended,” said Manjunath. Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar also visited the district hospital on Thursday.

“A pregnant woman came to the hospital in the morning. The woman was brought by two locals. She had come to get treatment for labour pain. We saw the CCTV camera video where the nurses took her inside when she came. On arrival, the mother was asked for government mother card and an Aadhaar card. She didn’t have any of that. Neighbours brought her under compulsion,” said Health Minister. Sudhakar said that a doctor and three nurses have been suspended for their negligence.

“Apparently, it seems that the three nurses working in the maternity ward have committed negligence of duty. There was also a duty doctor in the hospital. Whatever she could have said, she could have come and given treatment. This is dereliction of duty. They behaved inhumanly. I am shocked by this incident. So four people have been suspended. One doctor and three nurses have been suspended. The unlucky girl is orphan now. If her family members does not support her, the district administration will arrange for free education and accommodation up to 18 years. Personally I would like to do an FD in her account,” Sudhakar added.

OPPOSITION HOLDS HEALTH MINISTER RESPONSIBLE

Meanwhile, Siddaramaih held Sudhakar responsible for the death of two newborns and demanded his resignation. “The health minister who is responsible for the death of two newborns due to the negligence of doctors in Tumkur district should immediately resign, the accused doctor should be dismissed from service and a judicial inquiry should be conducted into the whole incident,” he said.

The Congress leader said that hundreds of innocent people have lost their lives due to the irresponsible behaviour of the health department since the COVID-19 pandemic. “If this same Dr K Sudhakar continues as the health minister, the serial medical killings are likely to continue. Since everything from appointment to transfer is done by money, no official has held any minister to accountable. Even the corrupt ministers of BJP Karnataka do not have the ethics of questioning – punishing derelict officials,” he said.

Siddaramaih further said that people are falling down and dying on potholed roads. “Even those who went to the hospital for treatment are losing their lives. Contractors are committing suicide without paying 40 per cent commission. BJP Karnataka government is a government that kills people, not a government that saves people,” he added. Former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy demanded severe punishment to responsible for innocent deaths.