Incident in Ratlam District Sparks Outrage
Ratlam: A tragic incident in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam district has come to light after a pregnant woman was allegedly turned away twice from a community health centre, leading to the death of her newborn while she was being taken back to the hospital on a handcart by her husband.
The incident occurred in Sailana town between the night of March 23 and early morning of March 24. A video of the husband desperately taking his wife to the hospital for the third time has gone viral on social media, triggering widespread outrage.
Medical Negligence Alleged
Sailana Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Manish Jain provided details of the case, stating that:
- At 9 am on March 23, Krishna Gwala took his wife, Neetu, to the community health centre, where nurse Chetna Charel refused admission, claiming the delivery was still 2-3 days away.
- At 1 am on March 24, Neetu experienced severe labour pains and was rushed back to the hospital. This time, nurse Gayatri Patidar again turned her away, stating that delivery would take another 15 hours.
- As her condition worsened, Gwala had no option but to transport her on a handcart for the third time. Tragically, she delivered the baby at 3 am en route, but health officials later informed the couple that the newborn had died.
Inquiry Ordered, Nurses Face Action
Gwala has accused the hospital management of negligence and demanded strict action. District Collector Rajesh Batham has ordered a thorough investigation into the case.
Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr. MS Sagar confirmed that initial inquiries found gross negligence in duty:
- Nurse Chetna Charel has been suspended immediately.
- NHM contract nurse Gayatri Patidar has been terminated.
- A show-cause notice has been issued to Sailana Block Medical Officer (BMO) Dr. PC Koli.
- A request for action against on-duty doctor Shailesh Dange has been sent to the State Health Commissioner.
This case has once again raised serious concerns about healthcare negligence in government hospitals, prompting demands for stricter oversight and accountability.
