‘Attendant sat on my chest’: Stillbirth triggers probe at Daga Govt Hospital

Nagpur: A 28-year-old woman from Hingna has alleged medical negligence and inhumane treatment during delivery at Daga Memorial Govt Women Hospital late on Tuesday night, accusing hospital staff of actions that she claims endangered her life and led to a stillbirth.The woman, Deeplata Banode, alleged that a lady attendant sat on her chest and attempted to push the baby using her knees to facilitate normal delivery. She claimed the attendant's saree covered her face during the act, causing suffocation and distress. The delivery ultimately resulted in a stillbirth, which the family said was caused by delayed medical intervention and the attendant's conduct.Hospital authorities, however, denied any link between the attendant's actions and the stillbirth. Senior officials said an inquiry committee has been constituted and its report will be submitted to deputy director of health services Dr Shashikant Shambharkar by Thursday.Officials claimed the woman had been in labour for 8 to 10 hours and lacked sufficient strength for uterine pushing. "The doctor asked the attendant to apply pressure. However, the baby had already passed away in the uterus. The stillbirth is not connected to the attendant's pushing," they said.According to the woman, she was admitted around 11am on Tuesday after experiencing labour pain. Her husband, Surendra, alleged that she was not given timely and adequate treatment throughout the day and was shifted to labour ward only late in the evening.He further alleged that when his wife was taken to the labour ward around 8-9pm, she was subjected to harsh and degrading treatment by hospital staff."I was in severe pain. Despite repeated requests, they did not take me for delivery. The attendant climbed on my chest and started pushing with her knees. Her saree covered my face, and I felt suffocated. They did not even show me the baby and simply told me it was born dead," the woman alleged.Following the incident, the newborn's father, accompanied by corporator Waseem Khan, submitted a written complaint to the police. Khan visited the hospital and met medical superintendent Dr Dilip Madvi, terming the incident "serious". He demanded fair and impartial probe, strict action against those responsible, adequate compensation for the family, and stronger safeguards to prevent recurrence of such incidents.