Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 19
The Ministry of Health on Tuesday debarred five doctors of Safdarjung Hospital from duty after a pregnant woman delivered a newborn outside the hospital today.
Safdarjung Hospital is a premiere central government hospital in Delhi.
“Our team visited the hospital today for fact finding in the incident where a woman delivered her child outside the hospital today. Five doctors have been debarred from duties till a high level probe concludes,” the ministry said.
Dadri-based Poonam was referred to Safdarjung on Monday. Hospital PRO Poonam Dhanda said since Safdarjung has a no refusal policy, the pregnant woman was examined yesterday at 5.45 pm and offered admission but did not return with admission papers.
“The next day a senior resident on morning duty was informed that a patient was delivering outside the hospital. A team was sent and the delivery was taken care of,” Dhanda said. The woman and her newborn (with a low birth weight of 1.4 kg) are under observation, the hospital said.
The Ministry has ordered a high level probe into this major lapse.