Death of newborn in Kerala: doctor suspended following protests

The Director of Health Services, K.J. Reena has placed under suspension, the consultant gynaecologist and resident medical officer (RMO) at the Nedumangad taluk hospital, Bindu Sundar, after a newborn’s death on Tuesday sparked massive protests at the hospital, with the family alleging medical negligence and with various political outfits creating a ruckus at the hospital, demanding action against the doctor.

Initially, following protests, Dr. Sundar had been asked to go on leave and was issued a transfer order. However, a circular issued on Wednesday evening by the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) said that as allegations of corruption — that the doctor had received money from the family — had also come up, Dr. Sundar would be placed under suspension, pending inquiry and disciplinary action.

Family ends protest

Following the suspension of the doctor, the family, which had been protesting all day, refusing to accept the body of the infant, agreed to end their protest and sit-in. A three-member team from SAT Hospital, including a gynaecologist, anaesthesiologist and a neonatologist, has been asked to conduct an immediate inquiry into the incident and to submit a report on Wednesday itself, a statement from the office of the Health Minister said.

The incident, wherein the newborn died soon after C-section, happened on Tuesday. Ranjana Krishnan, a resident of Anappara, Vithura, who had visited the hospital on Monday for the third trimester antenatal check-up, had been advised immediate admission. She was taken to the labour room early morning on Tuesday for induction of labour. As the labour did not progress, she was rushed in for a C-section to another hospital block around 2.20 p.m. and though the baby was taken out, it died soon after.

The family alleged that the doctor had not communicated to them the possibility of complications and alleged that prolonging the labour and not conducting the C-section on time had led to the death of the newborn. A tense situation had ensued in the hospital with a mob and political outfits of all hues staging protests and demanding action against the doctor.

Meanwhile, Dr. Sundar, who had left the hospital, was blocked by a group of protesters and had to be rescued by the police. Hospital Superintendent and RDO K.P. Jayakumar, who reached the hospital, had tried to make peace with the protesters, promising that an inquiry would be conducted and that action would be taken against the doctor if she was found guilty of negligence.

However, the protesters had refused to disperse, demanding immediate action against the doctor, claiming that there were many prior complaints against her. With the Nedumangad MLA and Civil Supplies Minister G.R. Anil also demanding action against the doctor, Ms. George had on Tuesday asked the DHS to look into the incident immediately and take remedial measures.

Doctors’ protest

Meanwhile, government doctors have protested against the manner in which the doctor was being subjected to a trial by the mob and media and wild allegations of negligence were being thrown at her, even before it was ascertained by an expert committee what had gone wrong.

In a statement here, the Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association said that while the death of the newborn was distressing, using this unfortunate incident to intimidate doctors and the district health administration and unleash mob violence in the hospital cannot be accepted.

Doctors, led by the KGMOA, are observing Wednesday as a day of protest across the district. The KGMOA said that health-care workers were working within severe limitations and shortage of human resources, but were striving their best to deliver the best of care. Portraying doctors as criminals when it is a fact that medical complications can happen naturally at any point during a delivery, was condemnable.

The KGMOA demanded that an expert and impartial inquiry be conducted into the incident. Taking action against the doctor, solely on the basis of allegations by the mob, and succumbing to political pressure cannot be justified, it said.