HC Notice to Govt On Plea For Magisterial Probe Into Negligent Death Of Pregnant Woman

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Tuesday issued notice to government on a petition, seeking directions to the Heath department and the district administrations to keep separate maternity centres for pregnant women equipped with all facilities and separate trained staff.
A division bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Sanjay Dhar issued the notice after hearing the petiotiner advocate Umar Mir.
The petitioner also seeks strict directions that a magisterial enquiry must be held every time in case any incident of medical negligence happens which results in death of child or pregnant women.
“There must be FIR at first instance against those who are alleged to have caused medical negligence which causes death of pregnant woman and their unborn children so that it shall be a deterrence for others and such incidents of medical negligence may be minimized.”
He has also sought a direction that there should be a compensation to victims of medical negligence and the same be deducted from the salary of those employees guilty of medical negligence.
“There should be departmental and disciplinary action against the erring official s/employees,” the petitioner said.
The petitioner has referred to recent incidents of deaths of pregnant women who were alleged denied entry or admitted belatedly due to covid-19 pandemic.
He also referred to June 4 incident of alleged medical negligence wherein a Covid-19 Pregnant woman delivered a baby inside a quarantine centre. “NO doctors were present and no medical help was provided,” he said, referring to a media report in this regard.
“Not only this but a video was also viral on social media in which the family of the patient can be heard alleging that the placenta of the baby was not cut even after three hours of the delivery which put the life of the baby in great danger,” he added.