Ill-equipped PHCs: HC seeks govt reply after woman, new-born die

HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court took up the death of a woman and newborn infant from Amrabad in Nagarkurnool district due to the lack of medical equipment and non-availability of eligible doctors in a primary health care (PHC) centre, as a suo moto taken up PIL.

The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice N.
Tukaramji, on Wednesday issued notices to the state government and medical and health department to submit their version on the issue by March 28.

Charagonda Swarna (24) from Yelmapalli village in Amrabad mandal,
Nagarkurnool district, went to her mother’s house for delivery. Suffering from labour pains, her parents have taken her by 108 ambulance to the PHC at Padara. The medical staff conducted tests and sent her to Amrabad PHC hospital situated 10 km away. From there she was rushed to a hospital in Achampet as they did not have the required equipment and medical staff. Her problems did not end as having developed BP complications, she was referred to a hospital in Nagar Kurnool only to be told that she had to go to the general hospital at Mahabubnagar, where doctors performed a normal delivery.

After giving birth to a baby boy Swarna died due to fits and after some time the baby also died.

Incidentally, she had to travel 124 km for the delivery, when she was in labour pains.

This incident was widely reported in the media and the court took the
incident as suo moto petition.