BATKHELA: Relatives of an expecting mother, who died just before delivery in the Labour Room of District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) in Batkhela, protested on Thursday against the hospital administration as well as the deputy commissioner (DC), accusing them of inefficiency.
The protesters complained that the wife of one Ghaffar Ahmad, a resident of Khar area in Batkhela, who was expecting twins, was brought to the DHQ hospital for delivery. However, after being left unattended in the delivery room for some time, she passed away, leading to fierce accusations of negligence on behalf of the hospital staff by the woman’s family.
The aggrieved relatives added that the twins also could not be saved. Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Khaista Rehamn also reached the hospital and allegedly sided with the hospital staff, they complained. To protest against the DHQ as well as district administration, the relatives were also accompanied by District Councillor Saddam Hussain, Tehsil Councillor Muhammad Ilyas, Awami National Party district general secretary Ijaz Ali, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam district-level activist Maulana Javed and others.
The protesters condemned the DC for not facilitating them to register a First Information Report with the police. They said, “Instead, the DC issued suspension notification of the doctors accused of negligence in the delivery case.” They maintained that DC tried to stop them from registering the FIR to cover up for the hospital staff. Besides, they said, issuing a suspension notification to the doctors did not fall within the authoritative jurisdiction of the DC. They appealed to the Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and Chief Justice Peshawar High Court to take action in this connection and provide them justice.
