T’puram: A newborn girl died during delivery at Punalur taluk hospital on Wednesday morning, with her family alleging medical negligence and claiming that they were not informed that a caesarean was being performed. Hospital authorities, however, denied any treatment lapse and said complications involving the baby’s umbilical cord necessitated the emergency procedure.The baby was born to Punalur natives Anoop and Sruthi. Sruthi was admitted to the hospital on Monday for delivery and developed labour pain on Tuesday evening. According to her family, the doctor treating her had told them that she was likely to have a normal delivery and that there were no complications.The family alleged that Sruthi was subsequently taken for a C-section without informing them about the need for the procedure. The baby died while the surgery was being performed, they alleged. Relatives also claimed that hospital authorities attempted to conceal the infant’s death.Anoop alleged that the consulting doctor, Dr Jisha, had accepted a bribe. He also claimed that no consent was obtained from him before the surgery.“If they had told us there was a complication, we would have shifted her to another hospital,” Anoop said. He also alleged that he had paid Rs 2,500 to the doctor and that the baby was not shown to the family after the procedure.Hospital authorities rejected allegations of negligence. According to the hospital, an emergency arose during delivery after the baby’s umbilical cord prolapsed, requiring an immediate C-section. Another local report said the hospital attributed the death to complications involving the umbilical cord.The incident led to protests at the hospital, with DYFI workers gheraoing the hospital superintendent demanding an inquiry. Punalur Police reached the hospital, recorded Anoop’s statement and registered a case of unnatural death. The newborn’s body was shifted to Govt Medical College Hospital, Parippally, for autopsy.Woman and child development minister Bindu Krishna said the district medical officer would investigate the infant’s death. She also said the allegation that the doctor accepted a bribe would be examined.
