Tamil Nadu health dept to probe negligence allegation over birth of stillborn

Chennai, Sep 3 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu health department will initiate a probe into an allegation that there was no doctor at a Primary Health Centre (PHC) in a village in Cuddalore district when a woman delivered a stillborn baby.

A 34-year-old man, Arokiajayaraj. C, claimed that when his wife was admitted to the PHC at 4 a.m. on August 31, nurses were taking instructions from a doctor over the phone.

He said that his wife developed labour pain at around 8 a.m. and the two nurses shifted her to the labour room.

The nurses with the support of two attendants helped his wife deliver the baby, the man further alleged.

He said that at 11.15 a.m on the same day, he found that the child was not breathing and requested the services of a doctor at the outpatient department of the PHC.

The doctor called the services of a neonatal ambulance and later declared that the baby was stillborn.

However, the Cuddalore district joint director of health services, Dr. Ramesh Babu told IANS that there were several reasons for children being born stillborn and that happens even in bigger hospitals with much better facilities.

He denied the allegations and said that preliminary inquiries conducted by the district health department have revealed no discrepancies.

"This is an upgraded PHC with 30 beds and there will always be a doctor available round the clock and there are well-trained nurses who can handle emergency situations. Preliminary inquiries did not find any error on the part of the PHC. However, a detailed probe will be conducted on Monday with a special team of doctors," he told IANS.