The investigation into deaths at Niloufer Hospital began on Wednesday with Hyderabad Collector Rahul Bojja visiting the hospital.
Mr. Bojja said that as part of his investigation, he will review medications given to the patients at the hospital in the last seven days, scrutinise the blood culture reports, speak with kin of the deceased and surgeons who performed the caesarean deliveries on the five deceased women between January 28 and February 4. The investigation follows a preliminary inquiry by a three-man committee.
Meanwhile, relatives of one of the deceased, Bushra Begum, recounted the events that unfolded before her death at the hospital on Wednesday.
“My daughter-in-law was healthy during her pregnancy. We got her to Niloufer Hospital from Golconda as we were told that all facilities including anaesthesia and blood are available,” said Akthar-Un-Nisa, Bushra’s mother-in-law.
Ms. Akthar claimed that the hospital staff asked her family to procure nearly 30 units of blood on January 30, after the condition of her daughter-in-law worsened following surgery. She also alleged that Ms. Begum was mistreated when in pain.
“After her C-section, she was brought to the ward where she screamed in pain just minutes after the surgery. A medical staff slapped and asked her to remain quiet,” she alleged adding that she does not know the staff’s name or designation, but could recognise her.
“They also removed her uterus without informing us,” she claimed. “Later, when her condition had further worsened, they took signatures from us on a blank paper and packed Bushra in ambulance to Osmania General Hospital.”
Doctors say a hysterectomy or uterus removal is performed as a last resort to save the life of a woman in emergency situations, for which explicit consent is not required, given the surgery’s urgency. The investigation into the deaths is likely to extend to next week as the culture reports could arrive only by the weekend.
Meanwhile, patients from Niloufer Hospital that who required C-section surgery, continued to be moved to Government Maternity Hospital at Petlaburj as its operation theatres remained closed. On Wednesday, three women who arrived at Niloufer were moved to the other hospital. Staff at GMH said medics have been deputed from Niloufer Hospital to cater to the additional patient burden.
