Pregnant women hailing from COVID-19 red zones are bearing the brunt of the fear and stigma surrounding the disease in Kashmir with two such women and a pair of newborn twins dying due to alleged negligence of doctors in the past one week in south Kashmir. The region has reported over 100 positive cases.
Shakeela, 25, the wife of Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, a labourer from Salia-Nowpora-Panzmulla area in Anantnag was admitted to a sub-district hospital at Seer Hamdan on Saturday night.
“Her conditions deteriorated in the night. It was only on Sunday morning that the doctors suggested that we move her to the Child and Maternity Hospital in Anantnag but she died on the way. She died due to negligence of doctors, who did not guide us properly,” said a relative of the victim.
The death sparked massive protests in Seer Hamdan area of Anantnag. The Block Medical Officer, Mattan, in an order, suspended a medical officer and a nurse “till the pending enquiry in the case”.
Six days ago, another pregnant woman from Anantnag's Kharpora area, who had delivered twins, was admitted to the Child and Maternity Hospital, Anantnag but later died. The new born children also died. The woman’s family also alleged that the doctors were hesitant to “attend her as she hailed from a red zone”.
Later the woman’s samples tested positive for coronavirus, forcing the J&K administration to institute an inquiry into the incident, as the woman’s burial was allowed without precautions laid down by the World Health Organisation for COVID-19 victims.
With pregnant women from red zones facing neglect in hospitals, an woman from Anantnag's Achabal hid her address and delivered a baby at Srinagar’s Lal Ded (LD) hospital on Friday night. However, she later tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday, a senior doctor said on the condition of anonymity.
“Her sample was taken at Achabal on April 30. Many of her close contacts, including doctors, were put under quarantine,” the doctor said.
Directorate of Health Services, Kashmir, Dr. Sameer Mattoo, in an advisory, said, “All pregnant women are to be screened in all red zones and samples are to be taken beyond 34 weeks of gestation, so that delivery of such pregnant woman could be conducted in a safe manner.”
National Conference MP from Anantnag, Hasnain Masoodi, has expressed deep grief and sorrow over the deaths of two women “due to alleged negligence of the medical staff in two shocking incidents”.
Demanded a time bound enquiry, he said, an action is warranted in light of the results of the inquiry.
CPI (M) leader M.Y Tarigami demanded an FIR in the case. “Such negligence on part of doctors needs to be thoroughly investigated and the culprits must be given exemplary punishment under law,” he said.
J&K Apni Party leader Rafi Ahmad Mir also demanded “a fair probe”.
“We have sent two doctors and eight health workers into quarantine after a woman, who was under treatment in our hospital, tested positive for coronavirus,” Medical Superintendent of Lal Ded hospital Dr. Shabir Siddique said.
