Ayodhya (UP), April 2 A 32-year-old woman and her newborn are alleged to have died due to medical negligence after a delivery was conducted by "unqualified staff" at a private hospital here, with the doctor directing the procedure over the phone, officials and family members said on Thursday.
Following the incident late Tuesday night in Faizabad city, the health department sealed the hospital and launched an investigation.
Suresh Yadav, a resident of Beniganj, said his wife, Soni Yadav, was admitted to Maa Parmeshwari Devi Memorial Hospital after she started experiencing labour pains. The attending doctor, Anjali Shrivastava, initially informed them that her condition was normal.
According to the family, the doctor was not present at the time of delivery, and the procedure was carried out by a staff member. The husband alleged that this staff member was being guided by the doctor over the phone during the delivery.
"After about half an hour, the staff handed over the baby and said he was not breathing. When we took the newborn to a nearby doctor, he was declared dead. Upon returning, we were told that my wife's condition had worsened. She was then taken to another hospital, where she was also declared dead," Suresh Yadav alleged.
The family accused the hospital of gross negligence, claiming that no qualified doctor was present during the delivery.
Acting on complaints, a team from the Health Department, led by Additional Chief Medical Officer (ACMO) Dr Ashutosh Shrivastava, inspected the facility.
No doctor or trained medical staff were present during the inspection, and a man identified as Mahesh Singh, claiming to be the hospital manager, was found overseeing operations, the ACMO said.
"Three women who had undergone caesarean sections were also admitted there, and their care was left to the manager," the ACMO said.
The hospital's records were incomplete, the doctor's credentials were not produced, and medical waste management was found to be unsatisfactory, he added.
"The hospital has been sealed and the admitted patients have been shifted to the district women's hospital. Further investigation is underway, and an FIR will be registered if negligence is established," the ACMO said, adding that the doctor is currently untraceable.
Suresh Yadav said he married Soni, a resident of Mukimpur in Inayat Nagar, in April last year, and the family was expecting their first child.
"Our happiness has been shattered due to the hospital's negligence," he said, demanding strict action against those responsible.
