AHRC orders probe into Mangaldoi Civil hospital lapse

Mother of triplets allegedly thrown out for ibility to pay

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, February 13: The Assam Human Rights Commission has ordered a probe into the incident in which a mother after delivering triplets, had to spend a night along with her three newborn babies at a wayside commuters’ shed, after being reportedly forced to leave the Mangaldoi Civil Hospital because she was uble to pay hospital fees.

A division bench of the Assam Human Rights Commission has taken suo moto cognizance of the incident that took place on Wednesday.

“The mother had to spend a night along with her three newborn babies in a wayside commuters’ shed, braving severe cold while en route to her house at Sialmari village under Dolgaon police station in Mangaldoi district after being compelled to leave Mangaldoi Civil Hospital by some staff and nurses,” the Commission said.

The victim was being treated at the ICU for complications during delivery. It was alleged that she was forced to leave because she was uble to pay the fees demanded.

Registering a case, the division bench of AHRC chairperson Dr. Justice Aftab H. Saikia and member Tarun Phookan issued a notice to the District Magistrate of Darrang to order an enquiry through an Additiol District Magistrate into the allegations.

The Commission noted that the Mangaldoi Civil Hospital authority allegedly did not provide them with a government vehicle as per the Adoroni scheme under the tiol Rural Health Mission (NRHM) policy, since it has the provision of dropping a delivering mother with her baby(ies) at home through No. 102 ambulance service.

It was further alleged that the hospital employees instrumental in forcing the mother to leave the hospital with her babies, reportedly did so after failing to secure money they had demanded from her and her husband, the Commission said.

The AHRC has directed the Darrang District Magistrate to ensure completion of the inquiry within a month.