Deaths After C-section: Probe points at doctor, staffers

A probe body has found evidence of negligence by a doctor and hospital staffers after two women died in DMT Safeway Hospital in Sylhet right after undergoing C-section on Friday.

The committee was formed by the Sylhet Civil Surgeon office on Friday night. Abul Kalam Azad, deputy civil surgeon of Sylhet, led the body.

Gousul Hossain, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station, said though the victims' families alleged that the two died due to negligence of the on-duty doctor and wrong treatment, no case was filed.

No complaint has yet been filed with the Civil Surgeon Office, said Azad, adding that a primary report regarding the deaths was submitted to the office of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in Dhaka.

He said, “We have found negligence in emergency response by the on-duty doctor and staffers of the hospital at a time when the patients' condition deteriorated on Friday morning, hours after their operations.

“We are not sure yet whether their caesarean operations were properly done, or any other complexities arose. But further investigation into the matter will be helpful in finding details.”

He also added that they were now waiting for an order from the DGHS to go for further probe into the matter as none of the victims' families lodged any complaint with them.

Two deceased -- Asma Begum, 24, wife of Shakhawat Hossain in Kallagram village in Sylhet Sadar upazila, and Foyzunnahar Chaity, 22, wife of Rubel Ahmed in Cunahati village in Jaintiapur upazila -- were buried in their village homes after their namaz-e-janaza on Friday afternoon.

The victims' caesarean operations were conducted by Minoti Sinha on Thursday late night. Asma died around 7:00am and Foyzunnahar around 7:30am on Friday.

Talking to News24 on Friday, Minoti said the surgeries were successful. The patients' condition worsened on Friday morning, but she was not informed of the matter. She also asked the authorities concerned to investigate the incident.

Foyzunnahar's husband Rubel told journalists that when his wife's condition deteriorated on Friday morning. The on-duty doctor administered an injection to her. “After that, her condition began to worsen more.”

He said the on-duty doctor then requested them to take her to the ICU and they rushed her to Jalalabad Ragib Rabeya Medical College Hospital where doctors declared her dead.

Abdul Kaiyum Roni, cousin of another victim Asma, also blamed the on-duty doctor's negligence and wrong treatment for his sister death.

After the incident, officials at the DMT Safeway Hospital left the hospital and they let the families go with the bodies even without paying the hospital bills, the deceased families also said.

Asma gave birth to a girl child and Foyzunnahar to a boy child. Both the babies are healthy, family members said.

This correspondent could not reach the authorities of DMT Safeway Hospital as well as the on-duty doctor.