Newborn dies at Gangtok hospital

Gangtok, Sept. 10: A couple whose newborn son died at Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial Hospital here last night have accused the on-duty doctor of medical negligence.
Damber Kumari Sharma and her husband Rohit claimed that their son had developed complications hours after he was born at 7.30pm through normal delivery. But their calls for help went unheeded.
“There was not a single doctor on night duty apart from the paediatrician who was at home,” Rohit’s younger brother Bhushan told journalists today. “We repeatedly requested the nurses on duty to call the doctor, but she never came, even though we were willing to provide a vehicle or shell out the transportation fare. Finally, the doctor arrived in the morning and we were told the baby is dead. This is pure negligence.”
The Sharmas, who had waited 12 years for their first child, have lodged a complaint with the hospital authorities.
The additional medical superintendent of the hospital, Dr V. Singhi, said an inquiry would be carried out by the hospital administration.
The paediatrician, Dr Chandrika Chettri, said she was informed only around 3.30am.
“I got a call on my mobile phone from the medical officer on duty at the gynaecology wing and rushed to the hospital,” said Chettri.
She added that the land phone at her residence is dead and so is the phone at the hospital.
“A vehicle was sent from the hospital but I believe it broke down on the way,” said the paediatrician. “Despite that, I reached the hospital soon after the baby died.”
This is not the first time that such allegations have been made against the Thutob Namgyal hospital. Residents here often complain about the unavailability of doctors at the gynaecology wing at night.
According to rules, a gynaecologist and a paediatrician must be stationed at the hospital during the night.
Some of the doctors at the hospital admitted that there were problems that needed to be sorted out.
“The phone lines at the hospital are dead because the phone bills have not been paid. We have to make calls from our personal mobiles. Even the vehicle that is used to pick us up is in a ramshackle condition,” said a senior consultant of the gynaecology ward on condition of anonymity.