Andhra Pradesh: Sweeper performs delivery on woman; baby dies | India News
KAKINADA: A sanitary worker allegedly performed a delivery at the Tallarevu community health centre in Kakinada district in the early hours of Saturday. The baby died after delivery, leading to protests at the hospital by family members who alleged that the newborn died due to the negligence of doctors.Medical and health authorities, however, refuted the allegation, stating that the sanitary worker did not perform the delivery. They said an inquiry has been ordered and stern action would be initiated if anyone at the hospital was found to be negligent in connection with the death of the newborn.The incident led to tension in Tallarevu. Health officials said a 22-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital on Friday morning and had been under constant observation. The woman’s relatives, however, said she developed pains in the early hours of Saturday and the sanitary worker on duty performed the delivery.Doctors said the baby died due to meconium aspiration syndrome, a breathing problem that can affect newborns when they inhale a mixture of foetal stool and amniotic fluid into their lungs during or shortly after birth, causing respiratory distress. As the condition of the baby deteriorated, the duty doctor advised the woman’s relatives to take the newborn to the govt general hospital. The baby died on the way to GGH. The condition of the woman is said to be stable. Dr Swapna, district coordinator for health services, told STOI that gynaecologists were present at the health centre till 2 am. A paediatrician and two staff nurses, along with a sanitary worker, were present at the health facility when the incident took place. The sanitary worker is a trained birth attendant and took hold of the baby when the woman delivered all of a sudden, and the umbilical cord started to stretch too long. “She clamped the cord and placed oxygen on the baby. Later, she called the nurse and the doctor,” she explained.
