Kota govt hospitals under scrutiny as 3 more women develop severe complications post-surgery

KOTA/JAIPUR: Two more women developed infection in the gynaecology ward of New Medical College Hospital (NMCH), Kota, and were shifted to a private facility Friday, while a similar post-C-section complication was reported from JK Lon Hospital, Kota, intensifying concerns over infection control and the quality of medicines being administered after surgery. Deaths of two women at NMCH have already been reported.

The two women shifted Saturday from NMCH were identified as Shireen, 20, and Kiran, 26. Shireen’s family said she was five months pregnant and was examined on May 4, when doctors diagnosed an open uterus after sonography and advised a stitching procedure. She was admitted on May 5 and underwent the procedure the next day. Her family said she was initially stable, but on May 7 developed bleeding, low blood pressure and anxiety, after which her condition worsened. She was moved to the intensive care unit, where doctors told the family she had developed an infection.

Shireen’s uncle, Mohammed Ejaz, alleged that hospital staff asked the family to shift her to a private facility. “It was shocking and unfortunate that the hospital withdrew treatment and sent the patient out,” he said. He added that Shireen remains critical, is on dialysis and ventilator support.

Kiran, who underwent a C-section on May 6, was also shifted to the same private hospital in Talwandi, but her family was unavailable for comments.

Four other women — Dhannu, Sushila, Ragani and Chandrakala — who developed infection after caesarean surgeries at NMCH earlier this week remain critical, though Chandrakala has shown signs of improvement. A newborn of one the four women is on oxygen support, while other infants are stable in the neonatal ICU.

In a related case, a woman in her 30s who delivered at JK Lon Hospital developed abnormal kidney function after a C-section and was shifted to the super specialty block of NMCH Saturday. Dr Nirmala Sharma, medical superintendent of JK Lon Hospital, confirmed the case and said the patient was shifted “for better management of abnormal kidney function”.

A senior doctor at JK Lon Hospital said there was concern over medicines from a particular batch and that instructions from the Drug Controller to stop using those batches were being followed. Drug Control Officers from Kota and Bundi have collected samples, while the drug controller’s office has directed govt hospitals not to use specified RMSCL-supplied batches until test reports are received.