Woman, newborn dead after 'phone-assisted' delivery at Ayodhya hospital; facility sealed
Ayodhya (UP) (PTI): A 32-year-old woman and her newborn allegedly died due to medical negligence after a delivery was conducted by "untrained staff" at a private hospital here, with the doctor directing the procedure over the phone, officials and family members said on Thursday.
Following the incident late Tuesday night in Faizabad city, the health department sealed the hospital and launched a probe.
Suresh Yadav, a resident of Beniganj, said his wife Soni Yadav was admitted to Maa Parmeshwari Devi Memorial Hospital after she developed labour pains. The attending doctor, Anjali Shrivastava, initially informed them that her condition was normal.
According to the family, the doctor was not present at the time of delivery, and the procedure was carried out by a staffer. The husband alleged that this staffer was being guided by the doctor over the phone during delivery.
"After about half an hour, the staff handed over the baby and said he was not breathing. When we took the newborn to a nearby doctor, he was declared dead. Upon returning, we were told my wife's condition had worsened. She was then taken to another hospital, where she was also declared dead," Suresh Yadav alleged.
The family accused the hospital of gross negligence, claiming that no qualified doctor was present during the delivery.
Acting on complaints, a team from the Health Department, led by Additional Chief Medical Officer (ACMO) Dr Ashutosh Shrivastava, inspected the facility.
No doctor or trained medical staff were present during the inspection, and a man identified as Mahesh Singh, claiming to be the hospital manager, was found overseeing operations, the ACMO said.
"Three women who had undergone caesarean sections were also admitted there, and their care was left to the manager," the ACMO said.
The hospital's records were incomplete, the doctor's credentials were not produced, and medical waste management was found to be unsatisfactory, he added.
"The hospital has been sealed and the admitted patients have been shifted to the district women's hospital. Further investigation is underway, and an FIR will be registered if negligence is established," the ACMO said, adding that the doctor is currently untraceable.
Suresh Yadav said he married Soni, a resident of Mukimpur in Inayat Nagar, in April last year and the family was expecting their first child.
"Our happiness has been shattered due to the hospital's negligence," he said, demanding strict action against those responsible.
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AI-based monitoring strengthens PPP dialysis programme in Karnataka: Health Minister
Bengaluru (PTI): The introduction of an AI-enabled monitoring system will significantly enhance patient safety and treatment quality under Karnataka's public-private partnership dialysis programme, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said on Thursday.
Launching the AI-based smart monitoring system at KC General Hospital in Bengaluru, the minister said such technological innovations bring dialysis services delivered under the PPP model on par with private healthcare standards.
"The introduction of an AI-enabled monitoring system will significantly strengthen patient safety and treatment quality under Karnataka's PPP dialysis programme," he said.
The system, introduced by dialysis care provider NephroPlus, enables real-time monitoring of critical treatment parameters such as blood pressure, fluid removal and electrolyte balance during dialysis, aiming to improve patient outcomes through continuous oversight, a statement said.
Currently deployed across seven dialysis centres, the platform tracks 28 key parameters, including patient care, safety, bed availability, staff alertness, emergency preparedness, infection control, hygiene and operational efficiency, NephroPlus said in a statement.
It allows administrators and clinical teams to take data-driven decisions through continuous performance monitoring, it added.
Officials said the technology replaces periodic audits with always-on monitoring, offering a more transparent and robust governance framework.
NephroPlus CEO Rohit Singh said continuous monitoring is critical in dialysis care and the AI-based system ensures consistent quality standards across centres while enabling safer and more reliable treatment for patients.
The launch event also featured a live demonstration of AI-powered dashboards, showcasing real-time tracking of dialysis procedures.
