A week after the maternal death at a Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Vannikudi, near Manamadurai, a child mortality case was reported at the upgraded PHC at Puduvayal in Karaikudi. The Collector has ordered an enquiry by the District Revenue Officer (DRO) into the infant’s death.
Devika (28), who hailed from Sudanthirapuram in Pudukottai district, was admitted to the PHC on Wednesday night after she developed labour. After she delivered a male baby, the child suffered breathlessness and suffocated to death within a few hours, police and official sources said.
No doctor was present in the PHC when the woman was admitted around 10.30 and the delivery was attended by paramedical staff. A doctor attached to the PHC was informed about the child’s condition during the early hours, but the child died before he turned up around 5.30 a.m., the sources said.
Soon after the child suffered suffocation, the nurse suggested that the family members shift the child to Karaikudi. However, no ambulance was available. Punniamurthy, the woman’s husband, alleged that he could neither get neonatal intensive care ambulance nor 108 Ambulance.
Alleging negligence on the part of the hospital staff and doctors, he lodged a complaint with Sakottai police, who registered a case under section 174 of Cr PC. As the family members demanded that the doctors attached to the PHC and paramedical staff be booked under section 304 (a) IPC (causing death by negligence), Collector S Malarvizhi ordered for post-mortem of the newborn.
As the family members were not satisfied with the enquiry conducted by the local Tahsildar and Deputy Director (health), the collector ordered an enquiry by the DRO. After completion of the enquiry, action would be initiated against those who found erred, the collector said.
