PALAKKAD: In a tragic incident, a Keralite woman settled in Coimbatore is grieving the loss of her child, who was stillborn, due to the alleged negligence of private hospitals and health authorities here, which led to an unwarranted delay in her treatment. A few private hospitals in Palakkad refused to admit the woman citing that she failed to obtain a ‘no-Covid certificate’ which the Health Department delayed to issue for over a week. Salini, 38, who reached from Mettupalayam in Tamil Nadu on May 10, had to face the ordeal due to the negligence of the department and private hospitals, her relatives told TNIE.
“Though health officials took her swab samples for RT-PCR test last week, they have not issued the certificate till now. Since the delivery date was close, we tried our best to get the certificate but our effort went in vain,” said Sunil C, brother of Salini. Had the department issued the certificate on time, the baby could have been saved, he said.
The family also said even the doctors denied permission to admit Salini. “Upon her arrival from Tamil Nadu, she went on 14-day home quarantine. After that, her samples were taken. Since the delivery date was near, we booked an appointment with a doctor at the Palakkad District Cooperative Hospital on Saturday. But the doctor refused to check her,” added Sunil.
Deputy DMO Nasser Abdul Kadher told TNIE that the delay happened due to the large number of RT-PCR tests that were coming up in the district. “However, the department does not delay announcement if there is a positive case. We haven’t directed private hospitals to deny treatment to those not possessing a Covid-tested certificate. There might have been some miscommunication between the family and the hospital authorities,” he said.
The family members alleged that Government Women and Children Hospital, Palakkad, where the woman lost her baby, also delayed the treatment for an hour by asking them to produce the certificate. “Even after seven days, the health department has still not released the RT-PCR result. How can we produce it?” said another family member.Earlier TNIE had reported that the delay in obtaining RT-PCR test resulted in anxiety among those undergoing hospital and home quarantine.
It takes 4 days now
The Health Dept takes more than four days to declare the results against the two days it took earlier.
Salini had arrived from Tamil Nadu on May 10 and underwent 14-day quarantine. After that, her samples were taken. She is yet to get the results.