Another new mother dies in Belagavi; family members blame medical negligence

Belagavi: Another new mother died in BIMS govt hospital in Belagavi on Tuesday morning after delivering a girl baby. Anjali Patil, 31, from Nilaji village in Belagavi taluk is the deceased. Family members staged a protest on the hospital premises along with the remains, blaming the negligence of the doctors for Anjali's death.
As soon as the news of the death spread, Nilaji villagers and relatives of the deceased staged a flash protest in front of the BIMS Hospital morgue. The protesters alleged that the caesarean section was performed without consulting the family and that appropriate action should be taken against the guilty.
Rahul, a relative of the deceased, said that Anjali was admitted to the hospital on Monday. "When the doctors said that the delivery will not take place on Monday, her husband went home. Later, he was informed that a caesarean section was performed. Meanwhile, the hospital staff took her husband's signature on a blank sheet of paper. The doctors said that the patient's condition was critical, at 12 midnight. When the family members said that they will take Anjali to another hospital, hospital staff did not permit it. The woman died due to the negligence of the doctors," he alleged.
Dr Ashok Kumar Shetty, the director of BIMS, who visited the morgue, denied the family's allegations that the new mother died due to the negligence of the doctors. Speaking to media, Dr Shetty said that the woman, who completed 40 weeks of pregnancy, was admitted to BIMS Hospital on Monday. "When the obstetrician examined her, it was found that she was in a high-risk pregnancy. Her health deteriorated during the surgery. When the amniotic sac was opened, there was a slight odour. It is suspected that it could be an amniotic sac embolism. Anjali died in the morning. The doctors tried their best. There was no negligence on the part of the doctors in this," he said.
"10,000 deliveries are made at the BIMS Hospital every year, out of which 50% are caesarean sections. Most of the high-risk patients from various PHCs in the district come to BIMS Hospital. If an amniotic sac embolism is found, it will not be in anyone's hands," Dr Shetty said. "In the last three months, three deaths occurred during childbirth. The mortality rate has decreased when compared to earlier," he defended.
Basavaraj, deputy director of the women and child welfare department, rushed to the BIMS premises following the instructions of minister Laxmi Hebballar and collected information on the case.