Probe committee recommends action against health workers over childbirth outside hospital

Kathmandu, September 17

A probe committee has recommended departmental action against doctors, nurses, paramedics and other staff on duty when a pregnant woman gave birth outside Gajendra Narayan Singh Hospital in Rajbiraj after reportedly being unable to pay for services.

Babita Paswan gave birth on a roadside on September 10 after visiting the hospital for maternity services. The committee found that the health workers failed to properly counsel her, ensure that she remained at the hospital for treatment and monitor her condition after she left the facility.

The committee also identified shortcomings in the hospital administration and the implementation of the government’s Safe Motherhood Programme. It said hospital staff had insufficient knowledge about the programme and failed to clearly inform the woman about the services available to her.

According to the committee, poverty, illiteracy and a lack of awareness about healthcare also contributed to the incident. However, it said responsibility should not be placed solely on the service recipient and raised questions about the hospital’s service delivery and staff responsibilities.

The committee recommended clarifying the scope of services covered by the Safe Motherhood Programme, including necessary laboratory tests, to ensure women are not denied maternity care due to financial constraints.

The team, led by Nepal Medical Council Registrar Dr Suprabhat Shrestha, conducted an on-site investigation from September 10 to 12 and has submitted its report to the Ministry of Health.

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