Doctors, nurses face action after woman gives birth on chair at Nalgonda hospital

A doctor and nurses are facing punitive action after a woman, who was suffering labour pains, had to deliver her baby on a chair at the Government General Hospital, Nalgonda on Thursday night.

Nalgonda: A doctor and nurses are facing punitive action after a woman, who was suffering labour pains, had to deliver her baby on a chair at the Government General Hospital, Nalgonda on Thursday night.

A native of Neredigumma mandal, N Ashwini, had reached Devarkonda hospital at 10 pm. However, as the doctor was not available, the nurses on duty arranged an ambulance and sent her to the GGH, Nalgonda.It was past 12.30 am when she reached the hospital. After examining, the duty doctor Nikitha and nurses, Ashwini was informed that there was still time for the delivery. She also asked to go to the labour room and get her dress changed.

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After 30 minutes, the hospital staff checked her blood pressure and observing that there was still some time for delivery, asked Ashwini to walk, as per medical norms. Around 2 am, as Ashwini was walking before the labour room, she felt labour pains and sat in a chair close to the door. In the process, she gave birth to the baby, following which the staff nurses held her and the baby and took them into the labour room.

However, with objections being raised over the manner in which the hospital staff handled the delivery, District Collector C Narayana Reddy ordered for a probe. Accordingly, Additional Collector T Purnachandra visited the hospital on Friday morning and spoke to the hospital staff.

Accordingly, show cause notices were served to duty doctor Nikitha and staff nurses, including Prameela, Uma, Padma and Sujatha. After their reply, further action would be taken. Instructions were issued to suspend Devarkonda hospital duty doctor Shanti Swaroopa and staff nurses, including Vijayalaxmi, Saidamma, Mounika and Saritha.