The number of deaths due to post-delivery complications in this western region has risen to four with one more death reported from Coimbatore hospital.
A high-level committee comprising three officials visited the Government Sait Memorial Maternity Hospital in Ooty on Tuesday for an assessment.
Tamil Nadu Health Systems Project director M.S.Shanmugam, Director of Medical and Rural Health Services A.Chandranathan and National Rural Health Mission expert adviser Rathna Kumar visited the hospital to study the circumstances that led to the deaths.
Talking to journalists, Dr.Chandranathan claimed that the deaths were not due to negligence. Jayanthi (25) from Ithalar died because of membrane rupture and pulmonary embolism. Amudha (29) from Kollapalli PHC died of bleeding triggered by a fibroid uterus. Saraswathy (31) from Melur Hossaihatty, who had hypertension, also died owing to pulmonary embolism. Radhika (25) of Hubbathalai died following renal failure, he said.
Revathy of Elk Hill is undergoing treatment at the Udhagamandalam hospital.
Between November 2013 and November 2014, 2,947 babies had been delivered in the Government Headquarters Hospital and various taluk hospitals in the district. Not a single maternal mortality case was reported. “Two more gynaecologists would be posted here soon,” Dr. Shanmugam said.
Following the first two deaths, the Sait Memorial hospital in Ooty sent the two other patients to Coimbatore on Monday.
Protest Meanwhile the kin of two women, who died at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH), staged a protest on Tuesday. They demanded probe into the initial treatment given to victims at Ooty and urged compensation. While Saraswathy was declared ‘dead on arrival’ at the CMCH, Radhika died on Tuesday. The CMCH performed a post-mortem on the body of Saraswathi as she had died within four years of marriage, making it a medico-legal case.
