In another gut-wrenching case of medical apathy, a pregnant woman who was allegedly denied medical assistance at multiple hospitals in northKerala, lost her twin babies.
According to reports, 20-year old Shehla Thasni?fromKondotty in Malappuram district was taken to three hospitals after shecomplained of labour pain during the wee hours on Saturday.
?The hospitals allegedly denied her timely treatment citing COVID-19 protocol. The couple first sought treatment at the Manjeri medical College (MCH) around 4 am on Sunday.?
However, the MCH authorities were firm on their stand that only COVID positive patients will be treated at the facility.
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The couple then approached a government hospital at Kottapparamba in Kozhikode where the gynaecologist was not present and hence they were referred to another hospital in Omassery who too refused treatment saying a COVID-19 negative certificate was required.
Following this, Shehla was taken to the KMCT hospital in Mukkam and later to the Kozhikode medical college. During the course of delivery at the Kozhikode medical college, both the unborn babies were found dead.
?Mohammed Sheriff, the woman¡¯s husband, tried to admit his wife to a hospital for around 14 hours but faced repeated rejections.?
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He said, ¡°I took my wife Shahala to Manjeri medical college with severe pain at around 4.30 am on Saturday. But after going to several hospitals she finally got treatment only around 6.30 pm.¡±??
¡°I have appealed with folded hands at the hospitals I have approached to conduct the delivery procedure. In two of these places, they required COVID-19 negative certificates. How is it possible to produce a COVID negative certificate that too with an RT-PCR test done when the results itself take 24 hours. It¡¯s a known fact that every hospital, mainly government clinics conduct Antigen tests¡±, said Mohammed Sheriff in his broken voice.??
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The woman, who continues to be in a serious condition, is being treated at the intensive care unit of the Government Medical College Hospital, sources said.
Describing the incident as "very painful," state Health Minister K K Shailaja directed the Principal Secretary (Health) to submit a report after conducting an inquiry.?The government also assured stringent action against those who allegedly denied timely treatment to the pregnant woman.
All Inputs PTI