KRISHNAGIRI: Within 45 days, two child marriage victims who became pregnant have gone missing from the Government Krishnagiri Medical College Hospital (GKMCH) highlighting lax security in the facility and monitoring of antenatal and postnatal women. One of the girls, got readmitted, fearing police action.
Sources said, that 15-year-old Rekha (name changed) from Kelamangalam was admitted to Hosur government hospital in November 2024 for a blood transfusion. She went missing got readmitted and underwent the transfusion.
After a few days, she was admitted to GKMCH but gave staff the slip. She was traced by the Thalli block health department team and sent to the hospital in January for Intrauterine Fetal Death. After undergoing the procedure she went missing. Health department officials suspect she may have gone to Karnataka, and they were unable to trace her.
In the second incident, a 13-year-old pregnant girl from Thalli was sent to Hosur government hospital on February 7. On February 13, she was referred to GKMCH. The next morning, she went missing but returned in the evening. Health officers said the girl was three months pregnant and was afraid that she would be booked under the Child Marriage Act.
When contacted, district Health Officer G Ramesh Kumar said, “The previous collector had advised officers that entry in labour and postnatal wards should be screened intensively, and continuous follow-up is mandatory to prevent maternal deaths.”
When contacted, joint director of health services P Paramasivan said there are adequate CCTV cameras in the hospital and security staff are checking visitors. The teams in PHCs should trace people who go missing. GKMCH Dean M Poovathi was not available for comment.
Collector C Dinesh Kumar said he discussed the issue with Krishnagiri SP, town police who said they did not receive any information about the girl who absconded and returned in February.