VIRUDHUNAGAR/TENKASI: Two maternal and one infant deaths have been reported in a span of just two days in the southern districts of Virudhunagar and Tenkasi in the state. The first victim, P Muthumari (31) of Sivakasi, was admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Virudhunagar on February 21 by her husband Panneerselvam. She was referred there by the Sivakasi government hospital.
Surgeons at the hospital performed a C-section on Muthumari Friday early morning and informed her relatives around 9 am that her female baby had died during delivery. Later in the evening, the hospital staff informed the relatives that Muthumari had breathed her last during the procedure. Alleging medical negligence and accusing the hospital administration of not informing them about the 31-year-old's death on time, the woman's relatives laid siege to the hospital and staged a blockade on Ramamoorthy road.
"We don't know if Muthumari died during delivery or after the procedure. We were actually informed that her condition was stable in the afternoon. All of a sudden, the administration told us in the evening that Muthumari died during the delivery itself. Two years ago, her baby boy died during delivery and hence the doctors should have taken extra care. These same doctors would have treated her properly if this was a private hospital. The poor's lives are not valued in government hospitals," the relatives said.
They refused to accept her body till 7 pm seeking suspension of the surgeons. When contacted by TNIE, hospital Dean Sangumani said the mother and infant died due to the early separation of the placenta. "This caused bleeding and failure of multiple organs. We performed C-section only to save her life. She was put on ventilator support after the delivery. However, she breathed her last after some hours. Soon after the death, we informed her relatives about it," he said.
At Tenkasi's district government headquarters hospital, a woman from Viswanathapuram village died on Thursday, six days after she gave birth to a girl baby. "She was admitted to the hospital with high blood pressure. She was actually doing well after the C-section procedure. However, she collapsed and died suddenly on Thursday. The condition of the baby is stable," said R Jesline, superintendent of the hospital.