Odisha: HIV+ pregnant woman left unattended in hospital; delivers stillborn baby

Baripada: In yet another incident of medical negligence at a state-run hospital in Odisha, a pregnant woman infected with HIV positive was allegedly denied treatment and she delivered a stillborn baby.

The incident was reported from Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital in Baripada, Mayurbhanj district.

The condition of the woman is stated to be critical post delivery.

According to reports, the HIV positive pregnant woman, wife of Surai Hembram, a resident of Jamda village, was admitted to the hospital after she suffered from labour pain on December 12 morning. However, the doctors allegedly denied to attend to the patient following which she gave birth to a stillborn baby.

“My wife was admitted to the Rairangpur Sub-Divisional Hospital from where she was referred to Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital, Baripada. We reached here at around 10.30 am on Thursday. As the patient was infected with HIV, she was left unattended by the nurses and doctors. She suffered immense pain entire night and had a major loss in wee hours of Friday. The baby was born dead due to medical negligence,” the patient’s husband said.

Even after delivery, the hospital authorities did not provide treatment to the patient.

The matter came to fore after the media and various voluntary organisations working in field of HIV/AIDS reached the hospital 24 hours after the incident. Following pressure, the doctors admitted the patient to OT of the hospital.