HUBBALLI : Was the whole incident of four ‘pregnant’ women being carried on a single stretcher at Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) stage-managed?
Yes, according to KIMS sources. It is said that all four women were ‘forced’ to sit on a single stretcher. It was shot on a cell phone camera and intentionally circulated to the media. It was portrayed in some sections of media that those women were ‘pregnant’, but actually they had delivered a day ago and were being shifted to the postnatal ward. Three out of the four women have confirmed this to Express.
Dr Ramalingappa Antartani, Head of the Department of Gynaecology, said: “We have no scarcity of wheelchairs or stretchers in the hospital. First of all it was falsely projected that they were pregnant and no one thought about how four pregnant women can share a single stretcher.” Express on Friday visited KIMS and spoke to the women featured in the video.
Reshma Bhandari from Hubballi told Express: “Someone recorded the video when we were being shifted to the postnatal ward. A man wearing red coloured T-shirt filmed the incident near the labour room.”
“Initially, we opposed being shifted to the ward on a single stretcher. But an ayah insisted that we should do so. We requested the man not to take our photo/video and I even tried to cover my face with a file,” she said.
Hema Vaddar from Kuradikeri village in Hubballi taluk who gave birth to a girl, alleged that an ayah demanded bribe to hand over the baby and they had to pay her `300.
“We don’t know why he shot our videos. But the doctors treated us well and we had normal delivery. The fault is with ayahs,” the women blamed.
KIMS medical superintendent Dr Shivappa Anirushetru told Express that they have already initiated an internal inquiry and suspended those involved in the incident.
“Some of our doctors told us that it was deliberately done to tarnish the image of KIMS. During inquiry, it has come to light that some people roam in the compound and shoot videos to fleece money and also on the instruction of some hospital staff,” Anirushetru added.