The health department on Monday launched a probe into the incident in which an Odia woman gave birth in an ambulance after being turned away by doctors at the Aluva district hospital.
Haseena Mohammed, District medical Officer said the inquiry officer is expected to submit the final report on the incident by Tuesday. “The officer has already collected statements from the hospital superintendent and doctors on duty’’, the official said, adding that preliminary investigations gave a clean chit to the doctors. “The woman was referred to another hospital in the absence of a theatre back-up’’, the DMO pointed out. However, a final decision with regard to the action to be taken against the doctors concerned will be based on the report. Earlier, it was reported that the woman was sent away from the hospital citing that she was not in labour. Though the hospital authorities had referred her to the Government Medical College at Kalamassery claiming that the theatres were closed for fumigation, the incident drew protests from youth organisations.
According to hospital authority, it was while a nurse was preparing to accompany the woman in the ambulance after collecting the required equipment that the driver rushed in to say that the woman was delivering a baby.
