Kochi: The death of a pregnant woman in a Kerala hospital has triggered a controversy.
The hospital has claimed that the 31-year-old woman died of complications after receiving a Covishield shot against COVID-19. On the other hand, the woman’s husband has claimed medical negligence.
According to reports, Mahima Mathew of Kottayam district had got her first dose of Covishield on August 6. Five days later on August 11, she developed a severe headache and was admitted to Mar Sleeva Medicity. She died on August 16.
In the death report, the hospital stated cerebral venous thrombosis and vaccine-associated thrombocytopenia as the causes.
However, Mahima’s husband has written to Kerala Health Minister Ranjith K, seeking a probe into the death. “The Health Department has cleared COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women. The hospital informed me that the health condition of my wife got complicated due to the side-effects of the vaccination. I am not happy with the treatment at the hospital,” he wrote.
Health officials have also raised doubts over the woman’s death being caused by the vaccine. “We don’t understand under what circumstances the hospital has linked the death to COVID vaccine. A week after taking the vaccine shot, she developed a headache. We are awaiting the autopsy report. Besides, the death would be audited by a team of doctors. We can come to a conclusion only then,” Kottayam District Medical Officer Dr Jacob Varghese was quoted as saying by The Indian Express,