TAXILA: A woman gave birth to a baby at the corridor of the tehsil headquarters (THQ) hospital Hazro on Saturday after she was allegedly refused entry into the labour room by paramedical staff.

Sources said Abdul Ghaffar, an Afghan national living in Hazro city, took his wife with labour pains to the hospital where the staff asked him to take her to the gyne ward for admission and treatment.

However, she gave delivered the baby on the floor of the corridor.

Mr Ghaffar told newsmen that he requested the hospital staff at the ticket counter that his wife was having severe pains, but they insisted that she should be taken to the ward where the doctor after examination would decide to shift her to the labour room.

He said before any doctor examined her, his wife gave birth at the corridor with the help of her women attendants and other hospital staff.

When contacted, Medical Superintendent of the hospital Dr Shoukat confirmed the incident and said the woman reached the hospital at eleventh hour with full time pregnancy.

Instead of reporting to the labour room, she reached the gyne ward and delivered the baby on way to the labour room. He said two teams have been constituted, one headed by the assistant commissioner Hazro and the other by the deputy district officer health to examine the facts and fix responsibility.

“If any official of the hospital was found guilty of negligence, he would be dealt with as per law and no one would be spare at any cost,” he added.

Chief executive officer District Health Authority Dr Jawad Ahmed said the authority would ensure justice in the matter as negligence or willful delay in the treatment of any patient would not be tolerated. He said that all stakeholders and the complainant would be called for the inquiry.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2022