Six-day-old newborn dies after forceful discharge from hospital

• Negligence of the doctors alleged
• Half an hour of reaching Kadaba, infant dies
• Lawful protest against injustice

Mangaluru/Puttur: In a heart-rending incident, a six-day-old newborn died while on her way home to Kayaradka of Kutruppadi village near here after she was allegedly forcefully discharged from a hospital in Mangaluru on Sunday.

The parents of the deceased newborn have accused the doctors of Lady Goschen Hospital of Mangaluru of negligence and irresponsibility in sending the baby and the mother back home even though the baby was not keeping well.

On July 30th, Vasanthi, wife of a Dalit daily wage labourer Shekhar, a resident of Kayaradka had been to the Kadaba community hospital for her second delivery. However, citing complication during delivery, the doctors at Kadaba had sent Vasanthi to Lady Goschen Hospital in Mangaluru. On the same day, Vasanthi had given birth to a baby boy through caesarean section.

Forceful discharge

“The baby which weighed 2.65 kg at birth was healthy in the beginning. But, after some time the baby refused to be breastfed. We informed the doctor about the issue, but nonetheless, the doctors discharged the mother and the baby on August 4th. However, as the baby was not keeping well, we remained at the hospital itself. But on Sunday, some other patient was made to sleep on the bed on which our baby was sleeping. We were forcefully sent to our native place Kadaba by a 108 ambulance.”, explain the parents of the deceased baby.

Dr Suchithra Rao, medical officer of Kadaba community hospital has visited the house and gathered all the information from the parents.

“Though we pleaded with the doctors that the baby was not keeping well, they claimed that the baby was healthy and accused that we were acting in order to remain in the hospital and forcefully sent us in an ambulance to Kadaba. Within half an hour of reaching Kadaba, the baby died. Doctor’s negligence is the reason for the death of the newborn. Justice should be served to us,” said the deceased infant’s grandmother.

District health officer, Dr Ramakrishna Rao gave clarification on the issue and said, “I have contacted the superintendent of the Lady Goschen Hospital. According to her, the baby was healthy during the discharge. I have informed the family members of the child to register a complaint with the police and get the post-mortem of the baby done in order to clear the air over the matter.”

“Because of the negligence of the doctors, a poor family has lost their child. A lawful protest will be held against this injustice. A complaint will be given to concerned officials and the state health minister,” informed Guruvappa Kallugudde, leader Dalitha Sangharsha Samithi SS.