MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court reserved its order on a petition filed by a man who sought compensation claiming that his pregnant wife had died at an Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) at K Pudur in Madurai due to medical negligence.
Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana reserved her order on the petition filed by one S Manimuthu, husband of the deceased Sakthikali. According to Manimuthu, Sakthikali was admitted to the UPHC for delivery at 2 pm on September 14, 2019 and a doctor examined her. However, the doctor left the centre and soon after that Sakthikali experienced severe labour pain, he said.
Manimuthu alleged that despite their requests for the presence of the doctor and for shifting of Sakthikali to Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH), the nurse who was in-charge at the UPHC proceeded to perform the delivery.
He also added that Sakthikali's death happened at the UPHC and not on the way to the hospital as claimed by both the hospitals. He further added that he was neither given the post mortem report nor the death certificate of his wife.
He also said that Inspector of K Pudur threatened him to give a 'false' statement that Sakthikali died on the way to GRH.
However, the authorities concerned refuted the allegations made by Manimuthu. The doctor at the UPHC submitted an affidavit stating that Sakthikali's death was not connected with delivery procedure but was due to lung problem. She further contended that the delay in shifting the patient to GRH was actually because of a dispute between patient's relatives.
With regard to the delay in issuing the death certificate, Dean of GRH said that the responsibility lies with the civic body and police officials.
Meanwhile, the sanitary inspector attached to the UPHC claimed that since the patient's death took place while being taken to GRH and not in the UPHC, the hospital and police authorities are responsible for registering the death. Castigating the officials, the judge reserved her order.