Health centre refuses to admit, woman delivers baby on roadside

Ankit Yadav | TNN

Bareilly: A pregnant woman here was allegedly forced to deliver her baby on the roadside, under the noon sun, on Tuesday after the staff at a community health centre (CHC) allegedly refused to admit her and asked for a bribe of Rs 500.

While the CHC in-charge said that they referred the woman to the district hospital because of “complications in delivery”, senior health officials have ordered a probe into the matter.

According to Rampal, his wife, Kiran, delivered the baby on roadside after the staff-on-duty at the CHC Bhojipura demanded Rs 500 bribe for admitting her, refusing which she was referred to the district hospital.

Rampal alleged that his wife and another pregnant woman was brought to the said CHC by ASHA worker and both cases were referred by health officials on duty quoting complications in delivery. He said, “After health officials handed over the referral slip, I had no other option and decided to take her to the district hospital, but she delivered the baby midway.”

He said, “We returned to the CHC after delivery but the staff refused to admit her after which they returned home. We were ill-treated when we inquired about Janani Suraksha Yojana after reaching center again.”

Talking to TOI, chief medical officer (CMO) Dr Vijay Yadav, who inspected the CHC during night hours on Tuesday, after the matter was reported to him, said, “A team of senior officials are probing the case and so far it was found that the staff nurse on duty hours was guilty of referring patient without taking note of the patient’s condition, who at that time was suffering from labor pain. Action will be initiated against the staff nurse as soon as inquiry is completed. Patient should have been given treatment on spot especially after chances of her reaching higher center were less.”

In-charge CHC Bhojipura Dr Gaurav Singh said, “Two patients (both pregnant) came to our center on Tuesday morning and staff on duty found both cases critical and referred them to higher center immediately. While one patient reached the district hospital, Kiran delivered the baby outside our hospital. All allegations related to asking bribe by staff are wrong and baseless.”

He said, “The couple returned to CHC after the delivery in 108 ambulance and while the staff was preparing to admit them, they slipped from our center. Our entire staff tried to look for them in the adjoining area. She was probably was facilitated by some quack in delivery outside our center.”

He said, “The women had hemoglobin rate of approximately 8 grams/litre, making her condition critical for treatment at CHC, due to limitations of resources here. That is why she was referred to the higher center.”

He said, “A team of doctors, including senior health officials, visited the woman’s house and both mother and the baby are doing fine.”

Yadav said, “Few discrepancies were found during inspection of CHC though no clues about staff seeking bribe have come to light of probing officers.”