Mumbai: Mother, Newborn Die From C-Section Under Torchlight

In a horrific instance of hospital negligence, a mother and child passed away because of a c-section conducted under torchlight. 26-year-old Saheedunisa Ansari was due to give birth in the Sushma Swaraj Maternity Home in Mumbai, but after facing complications, was subjected to a C-section. But when the generators stopped working, the doctors continued the operation under their phones' torchlight, leading to the demise of the mother and child. 

How Did It Happen?

According to a statement by Saheedunisa's brother-in-law, Sharukh Ansari, the pregnancy was normal in the beginning. However, when a low heartbeat was detected in the child, the doctors decided to proceed with a C-section. "Although other hospital options were available, the doctors chose to continue with the procedure under risky situations," he told The Free Press Journal. 

Saheedunisa's mother-in-law said that Saheedunisa was admitted on Monday, April 29. When she went in to see her, she saw that Saheedunisa was covered in blood from an incision and the doctors were saying that they needed to do a C-section. The power soon went out, and the staff ran out of oxygen but still maintained that they could perform the surgery there.

When the baby was delivered, he weighed 4kg and was declared dead. The hospital staff said they could save the child but, at the last minute, changed their opinion and asked the family to take the mother to another hospital. The family rushed Saheedunisa to Sion hospital, where she was declared dead.

A senior doctor said that the doctor was not to blame and that it was an issue with the hospital generator. "They had to rely on torchlights as the generator was giving them problems. It is not the doctor's fault." 

The family, however, feels that this could have been avoided if the hospital was not negligent in their care of the mother and child. As of now, a civic body has been constituted to look into the death of the child and the mother.