VELLORE: Relatives alleged a pregnant woman and her newborn child died due to negligence of staff at the Primary Health Centre in Kanguppam near KV Kuppam. They also claimed the PHC staff refused to reveal the nature of treatment given to the deceased.
According to relatives, Maheswari, a 31-year-old from the remote Mahadevan Malai area in the district, regularly visited the PHC since she was four weeks’ pregnant. Around March 23, as she experienced labour pain, she was admitted to the PHC. But after two days, staff allegedly told them that she had developed complications.
“They (PHC workers) said she developed some infection and has fever but didn’t reveal any details. They referred us to the Gudiyatham GH, where she delivered the baby,” U Kushbu, Maheswari’s friend told TNIE. “We spent two days there, but as the mother’s condition worsened, we were referred to the Government Vellore Medical College Hospital, Adukkamparai. She died there after three days of treatment on March 29,” said Kushbu.
Meanwhile, as the family returned home to perform the last rites of Maheswari, the baby too fell ill and the process started all over again.
“We rushed the baby to the Kanguppam PHC and were asked to go to Gudiyatham GH, from where we were referred to Adukkamparai GH. But we didn’t want to go there and went straight to Christian Medical College (CMC),” said Kushbu.
The baby died at CMC on Tuesday, after which family and relatives staged a protest at the PHC with the dead body of the newborn.
The PHC told mediapersons that the woman suffered from thyroid issues. Dr Banumathi, Deputy Director of Health Services, Vellore told TNIE: “The woman was properly treated and referred at the PHC.”
“PHC staff didn’t give us the details of treatment even after CMC asked for it. It’s their negligence that claimed two lives,” said a relative who did not wish to be named.
TNIE had earlier reported about the high Maternal Mortality Rate in the district, compared to the State average (81.8 in Vellore as against TN’s 58). The Joint Director of Medical Services had said earlier that instructions were given to shift high-risk cases to the headquarters hospitals and admit high-risk cases 15 days before the expected date of delivery to reduce maternal mortality. These steps were seemingly not followed in the case of Maheswari.