Public Display Protests Before Hospital After Five Consecutive Deaths Due to Post Delivery Complications

The Coimbatore Medical College Hospital saw a gathering of about 100 people on Thursday, protesting the death of Revathi Saravanan, a 28-year-old women who died after developing complications following the birth of her baby. The group of people refused to receive her body and demanded an explanation as to the reason why Ms. Revathi died.

On Sunday, Ms. Revathi delivered her baby at Sait's Government Maternity Hospital in Ooty. Soon after delivery, she began to bleed and was hence moved to the Udhagamandalam Government Hospital where she was kept on ventilator for two days. She died while being shifted to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital on Wednesday. It was the fifth consecutive death of a mother after delivery at Sait's Government Maternity Hospital.

Even though Post-mortem on the body was conducted on Thursday morning, about 25 of Ms. Revathi's relatives and 75 members of the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) refused to collect her body. Ms. Revathi's mother, in a distressed state said, "We want to know the reason for my daughter's death and people responsible for it." Her husband, Mr. T. Saravanan added, "We want the Nilgiris district collector and the team of doctors, including the gynaecologists who treated my wife, to come here and give us a proper explanation for her death."

On this TMMK Coimbatore district president Mr. Kabeer Ahmed commented, "They are not even giving us a reason for the death. Five healthy young women who would be raising families and be their future are dead. We want the government to take responsibility for this."

As a momentary step taken to stabilize the situation, the Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar, on Wednesday, issued an order to temporarily stop delivery through caesarean in the Sait's Government Memorial Hospital, Ooty. Keeping in mind the fact that five women lost their lives due to post delivery complications, he added that the facilities at the Sait's Government Memorial Maternity Hospital would be upgraded, and also an Intensive Care Unit with a lift facility would be set up at a cost of Rs.45 lakhs.

There would also be additional ventilators provided for the adults and babies who are admitted to the hospital. At present there are only three gynaecologists at the hospital and the minister said one more would be added to the group.

Source: Medindia