The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Wednesday sent a notice to Pune Adventist Hospital following complaints from parents and relatives regarding the death of a newborn after a Cesarean section (C-section) procedure on May 24.
PMC Action Under Bombay Nursing Act
Dr. Suryakant Devkar, assistant health officer of PMC, stated, "We have received information about the death of a newborn during a C-section delivery. A woman was admitted to Pune Adventist Hospital for delivery, during which the baby passed away. As per preliminary information, the hospital claimed the baby was stillborn, while the relatives said they were never informed about the stillbirth. We have sent a notice to get more information about the case. The hospital must respond within 24 hours." The notice was issued under the Bombay Nursing Act, 1949. This is the third notice sent by PMC to private hospitals in the past nine days.
Mother's Allegations of Negligence
The 34-year-old woman, Sara Sonar, rushed to the hospital on May 24 after noticing reduced fetal movement. She explained, "The doctors performed a non-stress test (NST) to monitor the baby's well-being. Hospital staff told me the baby's heartbeat was 113 per minute and the amniotic fluid had reduced. The doctor performed a quick C-section and told me the baby was born dead. I believe the doctor's negligence caused my baby's death, and the hospital falsely claimed the baby had died 24 hours earlier. My baby's body showed signs of injury. We demand an independent investigation."
Doctor's Explanation
Gynecologist Dr. Mallika Gaikwad, who performed the surgery, said, "The baby was not alive for about a day and did not die intrapartum. At birth, the baby weighed 3.78 kg and was stiff, so I had to perform a C-section. The body has been sent for post-mortem." She added, "We saw a heartbeat reported in the NST. In the absence of the baby's heartbeat, the machine had detected the mother's heartbeat or maternal blood flow, leading to a false presumption that the baby was alive."
The PMC awaits the hospital's response within 24 hours to determine further action.
