Dir woman gives birth on way to hospital

Newborn died soon after birth; born before reaching hospital under open sky in cold weather without medical aid

UPPER DIR:

On Thursday yet another woman lost her newborn as she gave birth on her way to hospital in Dir Upper district, barely surviving herself.

As there is no female maternity doctor in the public hospitals in the district, people are forced to go to private hospitals where properly trained staff is not available due to cultural restrictions.

“A poor couple, Nazar Khan and his wife, reached a private hospital for childbirth where complications forced the administration to refer them to Timarga Hospital,” said a local resident while talking to The Express Tribune, adding that the poor man hurriedly found a public transport and tried to reach hospital.

“The child was born before reaching the hospital under open sky in this cold weather and without any medical aid. As a result the newborn died soon after birth,” he said, adding that such cases were a routine matter.

Later the passengers of the transport van made a video criticizing the incident, which made rounds on social media and attracted widespread interest.

They accused the district headquarters hospital of negligence following which the deputy commissioner called an emergency meeting and it was found that the woman was indeed taken to a private hospital.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 25^th, 2022.