Tension erupted at the Sathurangapattinam Primary Health Centre in Chengalpattu district following the death of a newborn baby.
According to reports, the child’s mother was admitted to the hospital at approximately 9 pm on 8 December 2024. Due to the absence of a doctor, the delivery was managed by a nurse. Shortly after birth, the newborn developed severe breathing difficulties.
At around 3 am on 9 December 2024, the baby was transferred to Chengalpattu Government Hospital for advanced care. However, doctors at Chengalpattu GH declared the baby dead upon arrival.
The family, devastated by the incident and angered by the absence of a doctor during the delivery, staged a protest outside the Sathurangapattinam Primary Health Centre, demanding accountability for the events leading to the baby’s death.
Speaking to reporters the victim said, “My wife was admitted here on December 9th because of delivery pain, but there were no doctors. There were only two nurses, a helper lady, and an attendant. My wife had immense pain from 3 o’clock and started screaming. She couldn’t bear the pain. They pressed her stomach. A nurse was pressing my wife’s stomach and a helper lady who was cleaning the bathrooms was helping the nurse by wearing gloves and leaving her fist inside. I went inside to see what was happening and the helper lady was attending the labor. How can a helper lady attend to a baby? They shouted at me and I came out. They called for an ambulance at about 6:45 to shift my wife to Chengalpet Hospital. The nurse asked if there was any baby movement inside the stomach. She said there was no movement. I questioned the nurse why there was no movement and was pushed out of the ambulance and the door was closed. I even said I would sit in the front seat of the ambulance but permission was denied. They took her to Chengalpet. My baby was born at 8:21. I don’t know how they took out the baby, they did not even reveal the gender. The two nurses who went inside were there until the evening, they did not come out and escaped through the back door. The ambulance driver also left soon. They insisted on the ambulance driver to flee quickly. The baby died there itself, but another nurse said the baby would be delivered on the way. They said to my daughter before leaving, ‘Is your mother going to die? Can’t she bear the small pain?'”
Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai strongly criticized the ruling DMK government, accusing it of focusing on health infrastructure primarily in Chennai while neglecting other parts of the state. Annamalai stated, “The news that a baby died after nurses and assistants delivered a baby at the Chathurangapattinam Primary Health Center in Chengalpattu district is shocking and saddening. There are no words to comfort the parents of the baby. Recently, such unfortunate incidents have increased in the Tamil Nadu health sector. Only in some areas like Chennai, the medical infrastructure and the ratio of doctors to population are as recommended by the World Health Organization, but it is not widespread throughout Tamil Nadu. Even in cities with high population, there are not enough government doctors. The DMK government is boasting that it is at the top in medical infrastructure, citing Chennai alone, and acting as if its work is done. I urge the DMK government to expand medical facilities and the number of doctors so that there is sufficient infrastructure for all people in all districts throughout Tamil Nadu, and to reform the Tamil Nadu health sector, which continues to affect the public.”
செங்கல்பட்டு மாவட்டம் சதுரங்கப்பட்டினம் ஆரம்ப சுகாதார நிலையத்தில், செவிலியர்கள் மற்றும் உதவியாளர்கள் பிரசவம் பார்த்ததால், குழந்தை இறந்துவிட்டதாக வந்த செய்தி மிகுந்த அதிர்ச்சியும் வருத்தமும் அளிக்கிறது. குழந்தையின் பெற்றோர்களுக்கு ஆறுதல் சொல்ல வார்த்தைகள் இல்லை.
சமீபகாலமாக, தமிழக… pic.twitter.com/S3CPlUGj2b
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) December 11, 2024
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