TIRUCHY: At the urban primary health centre (UPHC) on EB Road, pregnant women seeking childbirth are referred to the MGMGH Tiruchy citing a lack of female doctors, with most of them having been exposed to horrific experiences, including giving birth in unusual places. The residential locality near EB Road comprise 10,000 residents.
The nearest health facility accessible to them is the UPHC near Murugan Talkies. However, the refusal to admit pregnant women has become a cause of concern for the residents. A woman from the Suran Cheri area narrated the horrific experience she had to go through two months ago after she was left with no other option but give birth in an autorickshaw en route to the MGMGH.
She said, "The UPHC referred me to the MGMGH and I was forced to hire an autorickshaw in which I gave birth 20 minutes into the journey. It was a nightmare. Thankfully, nothing happened to me or my baby."
"Referring patients to the MGMGH may have grave consequences, especially if it happens at the eleventh hour," rued residents, who recalled the days wherein the UPHC used to attend to childbirth.
Another woman from the residential area had to go through a similar experience after the UPHC, about six months ago, refused to admit her even though she complained of pregnancy pain. "I travelled all the way to MGMGH. I gave birth within 10 minutes of reaching the hospital," the woman recalled. R Chinnarasu, a local activist, told TNIE,
"We have had submitted several petitions. The last time a female doctor was appointed to the UPHC was about eight years ago. Now, there is only a male doctor. Though he has been doing his work with dedication and efficiency, the women would need a female doctor during pregnancy." When contacted, a senior health official from the city corporation said,
"PHCs in rural areas are usually topped up with two doctors. However, only one doctor is to be allotted to UPHCs. It is quite reasonable of women to seek the assistance of female doctors. But it is not within our capacity to appoint them to UPHCs. On the referrals to the MGMGH, we have been instructed not to take risky cases at UPHCs and refer them immediately to the MGMGH. I will discuss with the officials and take steps to improve the facilities at the UPHC."