Probe launched after two newborns’ deaths in Panchkula in a week

Both the cases were reported from Saketri, with the newborns’ mothers having sought prenatal care at the civil hospital in Sector 6, Panchkula

Taking note of the death of two newborn babies in Saketri area within one week owing to delay in medical assistance, the Panchkula civil surgeon has ordered an inquiry.

The civil surgeon ordered the inquiry after the death of two newborn babies in Saketri area within one week owing to delay in medical assistance from the civil hospital in Panchkula. (HT Photo)

Both the cases were reported from Saketri, with the newborns’ mothers having sought prenatal care at the civil hospital in Sector 6. As per Saketri resident Anita, who was seven months pregnant, she went into labour on March 7. Her husband, Raja Ram, called the ASHA worker and an ANM for medical assistance. But they reached them 90 minutes later. By then, they had called for a midwife, who started preparing for a home delivery.

When the ASHA worker finally arrived with an ambulance, she was shifted to the hospital, but her child did not survive. “The driver of the ambulance kept stopping at every traffic signal despite the emergency. He did not use the siren to get the passage cleared,” alleged Ram.

Similarly, on March 3, a woman named Jyoti delivered a baby at home and was brought to the civil hospital with the umbilical cord still attached. Her husband, Vinod, alleged that they had called the ambulance, but it did not arrive for more than an hour. With the help of an ASHA worker living nearby, Jyoti was taken to the civil hospital in a van used for polio camps. Looking at her condition, doctors referred her to PGIMER, but her child could not survive.

“The deputy civil surgeon is looking into the cases. Our team is conducting a gap analysis to prevent such incidents from recurring,” said Mukta Kumar, civil surgeon, Panchkula.