TIRUPATTUR: The residents of Ambur and its surrounding areas have renewed their long-pending demand for improving emergency obstetric services at the Ambur Government Hospital, following the death of a pregnant woman, who was referred from the GH to the Government Pentland Hospital in Vellore and later to the Government Medical College Hospital in Adukkamparai due to the high-risk nature of her pregnancy.
The incident occurred in June when M Shalima from Thuthipattu went to the Ambur GH for delivery. However, by the time the woman was admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Adukkamparai, after having been referred from two hospitals over the lack of an emergency delivery facility, both the mother and the foetus were dead.
"The journey from Ambur to Vellore took around 1.5 hours. If the emergency delivery facility had been there at the Ambur GH itself, two lives could have been saved," said one of Shalima's neighbours from Thuthipattu.
Several residents alleged that the specialist doctor (OB/GYN - obstetrician gynaecologist) is typically available only for a few hours in the mornings; afterwards, only a few doctors remain, and delivery cases are being referred to either Vaniyambadi or Vellore. They also claimed that, at times, only nurses are present to handle deliveries, in the absence of a specialist doctor.
The government hospital in Ambur serves people from around 36 wards and over 50 surrounding villages. The Vaniyambadi hospital is located nearly 18 kilometres from the Ambur GH, while the Pentland Hospital is around 50 kilometres away.
Suresh Babu, a local activist, raised the issue while Tirupattur Collector G Ravikumar was conducting an inspection of the facility on July 9. Suresh said that the hospital needs a CEmONC (Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care) system with dedicated obstetricians, anaesthesiologists, and paediatricians to handle emergency deliveries and provide comprehensive maternal and newborn care.
CEmONC refers to a 24x7 facility equipped to handle obstetric emergencies, including C-sections, blood transfusions, and specialised maternal and neonatal care.
An official in charge of the hospital told TNIE that for the last four months, the facility has had one obstetrician-gynaecologist (OB/GYN) doctor working from 7.30 am to 2 pm. "After 2 pm, there are around 11 general duty doctors who handle deliveries with the help of eight staff nurses (on rotation)," he said. Sources said two OB/GYN posts were approved for the hospital, with one doctor currently on maternity leave, leaving only one on regular duty.
The official said that if the cases are moderate-risk pregnancies, they are referred to the Vaniyambadi GH, while high-risk cases are referred to the Pentland Hospital. "Shalima's case was a high-risk one, so the specialist doctor here referred it to Vellore," he said, adding that patients, after scans were taken, are informed about the complications involved in the delivery before referring them to other hospitals.
According to data shared by the hospital, around 34 deliveries were conducted at the Ambur GH in June, and 18 deliveries so far till July 16 noon. On average, up to 12 cases are being referred to other hospitals in a given month.
Hospital sources said a proposal seeking CEmONC status was submitted last year but was not approved. Residents have urged the state government to reconsider the proposal in view of the growing demand for emergency obstetric care in the region.
