Hospital Turns Away Pregnant Woman From COVID Zone In Odisha

Parlakhemundi: The authorities if district medical hospital allegedly refused to treat a woman in advanced stage of pregnancy after she said that she had come from COVID buffer zone, leading her to spend 11 hours on the hospital verandah.

According to sources, the woman belonging to Bhusukudi village under Gosani block was admitted to the maternity ward of the hospital after she complained of labour pain on Tuesday.

Before starting the treatment, the medical staff came to know that she had come from a Covid buffer zone and her husband, a returnee, was in a quarantine centre. The woman and her family members were asked to leave the hospital.

An attendant of the woman said initially, after admitting her at around 11 am, the doctors said they have to perform C-section and asked us to arrange blood for the purpose. But suddenly they asked to leave the hospital and get her examined for coronavirus, he added.

Apprehending complicacy, they waited on the hospital verandah.

District Medical Officer PK Patra said after initial check-up, it was found that the woman was not undergoing labour pain. She was asked to leave and come back after she has labour pain. Besides, there are guidelines that persons coming from containment zones should only be treated in COVID hospitals, he added.

On being informed about the incident, Paralakhemundi MLA K Narayan Rao and Zilla Parishad member intervened and the woman was re-admitted and kept in an isolation room of the hospital at around 10 pm.