Karnataka hospital has no doctor or ambulance, turns away woman in labour at midnight

 The government hospital in Kundapura, Karnataka turned away a woman already in labour, ready to deliver her child  The hospital stated there was no doctor on duty, and it had no ambulance to transport the woman to another facility  This incident joins a series of similar cases, highlight the bad state of public healthcare in Karnataka 

After the Mcgann Hospital at Shivamogga and KIMS at Hubli, from where incidents of ill treating patients were reported, here is another similar case of a fully pregnant woman in labour who was turned away at midnight -as there was no doctor on duty.

A complaint has been registered at the Mahila Santvana centre at Kundapura, Karnataka stated that one Asha, wife of Santhosh, resident of Koni, had come to the Kundapura government hospital in labour at midnight. It was raining heavily.

The hospital staff said there was no doctor to deliver the child and refused to admit her.  The doctor on duty - Dr Arathi Karanth - had gone home. The nurses suggested going to Udupi. There was no ambulance at the hospital and repeated calls to 108 by Asha’s aunt Amitha did not get any response.

Finally, they managed to take Asha in an auto to a private hospital and within ten minutes she delivered a female child. A slight delay would have caused serious consequences. The government has not responded to the incident so far.