Sweeper Allegedly Assisted Delivery in Absence of Doctor and Nurses
Surguja: In a disturbing incident at the Kunni Village Community Health Centre (CHC) in Chhattisgarh’s Surguja district, a newborn died during delivery after a sweeper reportedly attempted to assist the birth in the absence of a doctor and nursing staff. The tragedy has sparked serious concerns regarding staffing shortages and emergency preparedness at rural healthcare facilities.
According to reports, on the night of February 16, a pregnant woman from Jamdara village went into labour at her maternal home and was rushed to the CHC around 11 pm. Her family sought immediate medical attention, but no doctor or staff nurse was present at the facility at the time of her arrival.
In the absence of trained medical personnel, a sweeper at the health centre allegedly admitted the woman and attempted to manage the delivery. The situation reportedly worsened over the next several hours. By approximately 7 am on February 18, complications arose when the baby became stuck during childbirth.
Doctors who later arrived at the facility were unable to save the newborn. The grieving family alleged that timely medical intervention could have prevented the tragedy. “If doctors and nurses had been available, perhaps the baby would still be alive,” family members stated.
Chief Medical and Health Officer PS Marko said the case involved a breech presentation, a condition in which the baby is positioned feet or buttocks first instead of head-first. Such cases, which occur in about 3–4% of full-term pregnancies, often require skilled medical supervision and, in some instances, surgical intervention.
He further noted that the woman had not undergone routine antenatal checkups during her pregnancy. No sonography had been performed, preventing early detection of the baby’s position. The breech presentation was reportedly identified only during the course of delivery.
Addressing staffing concerns, Marko stated that the nurse assigned to duty on the day of the incident did not report for work. He added that the CHC has three nurses in total, with the other two currently on medical leave. The absence of trained personnel at a critical time has drawn widespread criticism.
The CMHO said that accountability would be fixed after due inquiry. He added that if any staff member is found guilty of dereliction of duty, appropriate action, including transfer with the Collector’s approval, would be taken. The incident has once again highlighted gaps in rural healthcare infrastructure and the urgent need for improved staffing and monitoring systems.
