The Jharkhand government issued showcause notice to three doctors and an AYUSH practitioner seeking explanation on their offhand behaviour after a tribal woman and her newborn child died outside on Gawan block’s community health centre (CHC) in Gridih district on Thursday evening. It is being said that the incident happened as there were no doctors available at the time.
Surja Marandi and her newborn were rushed from Tisri block of the district after birth. They were taken to hospital as the infant’s placenta could not be removed and bleeding did not stop. Both were carried on a cot since the area lacks a motorable road.
They were brought to Gawan CHC which is approximately 7 km away. Family members said that the infant died before the woman passed away outside the hospital.
District administration conducted an inquiry into the issue to look into purported carelessness of doctors at the CHC. A showcause letter issued by Joint Secretary (Health) Vidyanand Sharma Pankaj, asks why disciplinary proceedings should not be initiated against them for their “carelessness and indiscipline”.
The inquiry states that one of the doctors to be pulled up, Dr Saalik Jamaal was absent on February 25 without informing anyone. “You were absent on February 25 from the hospital without any authorisation. As per the inquiry report, had you been present, the women, who gave birth to a child, could have been possibly saved…” the notice read.
The AYUSH practitioner, who was present that day until 4.15 pm, was also pulled up and the department sought an explanation on why he had left without waiting for the in-charge.
Surja Marandi’s husband, Sunil Tudu, stated that his whole life has turned upside down. “I was not even there when she was carried to the hospital. Nobody thought that the situation would become this serious, as at least four or five childbirths took place in our village without anyone going to the hospital” he said.
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