Infant dies at rural health centre in Rahim Yar Khan

The woman lay in bed for almost seven hours, but the doctor and medical staff did not examine her

RAHIM YAR KHAN: Suspected criminal negligence and the lack of neonatal intensive care at a rural health centre reportedly cost a newborn its life in Rahim Yar Khan on Tuesday.

The incident took place in Ahmedpur Lamah where a woman went for the delivery of her child.

Abdul Majeed, the infant’s father, said that he took his wife Kulsoom Bibi to Ahmedpur Lamah Rural Health Centre after she began experiencing labour pain.

“I admitted my wife to the health facility’s labour room at 7am. However, there was no senior doctor available at the hospital to treat her.”

He maintained that the medical staff on duty put a drip on his wife and went away. The husband continued that his wife lay on the bed for seven agonising hours, but neither the doctor nor any medical staff came to examine her or provide treatment.

Abdul Majeed said that after running from pillar to post to get help, one of the staff members approached him and said that his wife will be taken for an ultrasound. “However, due to unavailability of electricity and absence of a generator, they could not conduct the ultrasound,” he mentioned.

He said that when his wife was unable to bear the pain, a lady health worker came in and tried to deliver the baby. “During the process, the baby died as the health worker was not experienced,” the victim’s father said.

He said that when the lady doctor eventually showed up, instead of tending to the mother, she allegedly asked the woman’s family to clean up the mess in the labour room.

Abdul Majeed said the labour room staff was responsible for his newborn’s death and appealed to authorities to take notice of the incident. He demanded that officials concerned provide justice to him.

Meanwhile, Rural Health Centre Senior Medical Officer (SMO) Dr Majid Shah expressed his sorrow over the death of the infant. He said that an inquiry would be conducted into the incident and those found responsible for committing the negligence would be punished.