NEW DELHI: A woman delivered her baby outside Safdarjung Hospital's emergency wing on Tuesday after she was allegedly denied admission, following which the Centre-run facility barred three doctors from duties pending inquiry and issued show cause notices to five others.
The action was taken on the directions of Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya after a video of the woman delivering her baby went viral online, according to officials.
A Union health ministry official said a report has been sought from Safdarjung Hospital in the matter.
Safdarjung Hospital, one of the largest tertiary government hospitals in the country, has initiated an inquiry into the incident, according to sources.
The hospital, however, denied that it refused admission to the woman, saying it has a no-refusal policy.
The woman was given admission papers but she did not return them, it said.
In the video doing rounds on social media, some women are seen standing around the pregnant woman with a saree, covering her during the delivery.
Some nurses are also seen at the spot.
The woman's relatives are heard alleging that the hospital did not admit her on Monday and she spent the night outside the emergency department.
In a statement, Safdarjung Hospital said the woman, 21, was referred from Dadri on July 18.
As Safdarjung Hospital has a no-refusal policy, she was examined by the senior resident on duty at 5:45 pm on the same day and her condition was found to be 33+6 weeks gestation with preeclampsia in early labour, the statement said.
The patient was offered admission but she did not return with the admission papers, it said.
The next day, the senior resident on morning Gynae Receiving Room (GRR) duty was informed that a patient was delivering her baby outside.
A team from the GRR was dispatched immediately and the patient's delivery was taken care of, the hospital said.
"The patient is currently admitted in LR-II and the baby, weighing 1.4 kg, is admitted in nursery 9 in view of low birth weight. Both are in stable condition. There are six doctors, including two Senior Residents (SR), posted in the Gynae Receiving Room round the clock," it said.
Later, the hospital authorities barred two senior resident doctors and a junior resident doctor from duties pending inquiry.
"It has been brought to the notice of the Safdarjung Hospital and VMMC that a pregnant woman delivered a baby outside the Gynae Receiving Room (GRR) on July 19.
She was examined by the senior resident on duty at 5.45 PM on July 18 in GRR.
"The matter has been viewed seriously by the administration. In view of the above, you are barred from duties till the finalisation of enquiry report or further order," the order stated.
The hospital also issued show cause notices to five doctors -- a professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, chief medical officer, a PG third-year doctor, a PG first-year doctor and an intern -- asking them to explain as to why action should not be taken against them.
"The matter has been viewed seriously by the administration. In view of the above, you are directed to give your explanation within 24 hours of receipt of this show cause notice that why necessary disciplinary action may not be initiated against you," the notices read.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (southwest) Manoj C said the woman, a resident of Khera, Ghaziabad was taken to Safdarjung Hospital as she was due to deliver her baby.
"As per the allegations, she was not admitted to the hospital and she delivered a baby girl in the hospital premises. Now, the woman and her baby have been admitted to the hospital and both are doing well. They are being treated under a senior doctor in the gynaecology department," he said.
"We have not received any complaint (against the hospital) yet," he added.
The Delhi Commission for Women has also issued a notice to the hospital and sought an action taken report in the matter by July 25.