Baby born outside MMC: Inquiry panel seeks action against six doctors

Report notes they had failed to perform their duties, ignored SOPs

PESHAWAR: An inquiry panel has recommended that action should be taken against doctors for their alleged negligence after a baby, born in the Mardan Medical Complex premises, died of the cold.

Last week, 27-year-old Rehana had been rushed to the Mardan Medical Complex (MMC). However, doctors on duty allegedly refused to admit her and provide her with a bed reportedly due to an ‘already packed Gynae ward’, in addition to being told that she was not due for another week.

She and her family then returned home. As she started feeling contractions, her family rushed to the facility again but was turned back again.



But as soon as Rehana and her family left the MMC building, she started to feel strong contractions and had no other option but to give birth to her baby by the roadside after being refused admission twice.

The newborn, though, could not bear tolerate the extreme cold and passed away soon after.

Following media reports, the provincial health department took notice of the issue and suspended  the duties of five female doctors and three nurses for negligence including Dr Saima, Dr Nuzhat, Dr Nazia, Dr Muzhida, Dr Maria and Ishtiaq. An inquiry was ordered to probe the issue.

On Saturday, the panel completed its report and recommended that Dr Quratul Ain and Dr Nuzhat Ashfaq [deputed in the labour room] had failed to perform their official duties and had ignored the standard operating procedures of the unit. Moreover, they had failed to inform senior doctors in time.

“Dr Saima Amin, Dr Muzhda, Dr Nazia and Dr Maria [though not directly involved in the incident] but have indirectly failed to perform their duties,” the inquiry report read adding, “the nursing staff on duty was not involved in the incident neither directly nor indirectly.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 7^th, 2018.