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Mother protests at BJP headquarter, seeks action against doctor
She alleged that the doctor advised her to continue the pregnancy despite the complication.
A mother of a nine-month-old girl demanded justice from Subodh Uniyal, a cabinet minister during Janta Darshan at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters in the capital on Thursday. She blamed a private gynaecologist Dr Archana Luthra for the disease (Down’s syndrome) of her daughter.
Claiming no support from the government, Kumkum (37), wife of Dushyant Kumar, a resident of Kaulagarh, asked the minister, “What’s the purpose of your double engine government and Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao campaign when it can’t get justice for my daughter?”
She staged a protest for three hours at the office and demanded action against the doctor. According to her, the doctor advised her Triple Test to diagnose medical ailments in her foetus in November 2016. She alleged that the doctor advised her to continue the pregnancy despite the complication. Kumkum said that thedoctor ignored the warning despite the report stating high risk.
She brought this carelessness to the notice of the chief medical officer who investigated the case and found the fault. But, no action was taken against the doctor. She had also written to the chief minister and Governor but to no avail. Later, she brought the case to the notice of the Medical Council of Uttarakhand that failed to investigate or take action.
“The registrar of the council YS Bisht is trying to protect the doctor and is avoiding any litigation or investigation in the case,” she said.
Meanwhile, she approached State Commission for Protection of Childs Rights (SCPCR) on the matter and reported the matter seven times before other ministers. This, too, did not work.
“She has submitted all documents and we will take appropriate action,” Uniyal said.
Bisht couldn’t be contacted despite several attempts.
Meanwhile, Dr Archana Luthra, the gynaecologist, however, claims that the report was never brought to her. “They never showed the Triple Test report to me which is a primary investigation. I would have asked them to go for a definitive test which is done in Delhi. Her husband told me that he was suggested by a friend not to undergo the test which would cost him an additional R 40,000.”
