The controversy over the death of a woman and her newborn at Thangam Hospital here appeared to be heading for a medico-legal tussle with the hospital authorities claiming that they were not responsible for the deaths and the victims’ family disputing it.
Aiswarya, wife of M. Ranjit from Chittur-Thathamangalam, died at the hospital following childbirth on Monday. Hospital authorities said here on Tuesday that the woman died due to excessive bleeding, and that they had done everything possible to arrest the bleeding
Senior doctors N. Venugopal and P.N. Vasudev and medical superintendent P. Subhash said here that the hospital was ready to face any investigation into the case.
They said the childbirth had been projected for June 5. When the woman entered labour, she was examined by three doctors at the hospital. The delivery took place on Saturday night. When the newborn was dead, the mother began bleeding heavily within half-an-hour after the delivery.
The doctors said that they could not stop the bleed in spite of their best efforts. They said Aiswarya was shifted to the operation theatre to the find the reason for the bleeding and to administer sedation. They said the victim’s relatives had been informed about it, and they had seen Aiswarya.
The doctors denied the allegation that they buried the body of the newborn secretly. They said they had handed over the infant’s body to Aiswarya’s relative Reshma, and that they helped Reshma bury the body.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) too came in support of the hospital, saying that the hospital was in no way responsible for the death of the woman and the newborn.
IMA Palakkad unit president Arun N.M. said here that surgery was done on Aiswarya with the consent of the family. He said the decision to remove the uterus was taken during the surgery and it could not be preplanned in some cases.
Dr. Arun said the death of the woman and the newborn was unfortunate, but certainly beyond the control of the doctors. The hospital had witnessed an agitation following the death of the woman on Monday morning.
Aiswarya’s husband Ranjit, meanwhile, disputed the hospital’s argument and said that the doctors were lying. He said they had not shared any information about the treatment his wife got at the hospital.
Mr. Ranjit said he had not been told about the critical condition of his wife. He also alleged that the hospital authorities secured his consent for surgery by threatening him. “They informed me about my wife’s uterus removal only after doing it,” he said.
The police have registered a case against three doctors in connection with the death of Aiswarya and her newborn. District Medical Officer said here on Tuesday that a special team would investigate the incident.
