Woman delivers baby in ambulance; concern raised over lack of facilities in hospital, poor road
Palghar (PTI): A 25-year-old woman with pregnancy complications delivered a baby in an ambulance with the help of a doctor onboard while being shifted from a rural hospital here to neighbouring Thane, officials said on Tuesday.
The Wada Rural Hospital in Maharashtra's Palghar district lacks specialised facilities for managing such critical maternity cases, its medical superintendent Dr Yadav Shekhare told PTI.
The "poor road conditions" further complicated the process of shifting the woman to a hospital in Thane for better care, he said.
The woman, Kalyani Bhoye, having intense labour pains, was brought to the rural hospital by her family early morning on December 13, he said.
The doctor on duty found the foetus' heartbeat was erratic and the child had already passed meconium (stool) in the womb, which is often a sign of foetal distress, the official said.
Recognising the severity of the situation, the attending doctor referred the woman immediately to the Thane Civil Hospital, located 75 km away, for advanced treatment.
The woman was promptly ferried in a fully equipped ambulance with a doctor onboard.
But, just 10 kilometres into the journey, the poor road conditions and bumpy terrain triggered the need for the woman's delivery inside the ambulance, the health official said.
The doctor onboard helped in the safe delivery of a healthy baby boy, he said.
Realising the need for immediate post-delivery care, the ambulance returned to the Wada Rural Hospital, where both the mother and the newborn boy were provided with further medical treatment, Dr Shekhare said, adding that both the mother and son were out of danger.
He said the rural hospital lacks specialised facilities required for such cases. Despite this, the hospital performs up to six deliveries every day, including two to three caesarean sections.
Dr Shekhare emphasised the need for improved infrastructure and equipment to better serve patients in remote areas.
While appreciating the doctors' efforts, he said the "poor road conditions" complicated the process of transporting the woman to Thane.
An explanation would be sought from the duty doctors to document the case, but their actions were in line with the commitment to provide the best possible care, he said.
Dr Shekhare praised the proactive approach of the doctors on duty, highlighting their commitment to saving lives despite limited facilities at the hospital.
"The doctors did not hesitate to refer the patient to a higher medical facility, prioritising her safety. Their decision, coupled with the presence of a doctor in the ambulance, ensured a smooth delivery under challenging conditions," he said.
After the woman's return to Wada hospital, a paediatrician promptly attended to the newborn, ensuring his health and stability, he added.
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Political strife erupts over South Korean court as it is set to determine fate of impeached Yoon
Seoul (AP): South Korea's acting leader vowed Tuesday to convey to the world that things are back to normal following parliament's impeachment of conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol, but rival parties began squabbling over the mechanics of a court ruling to determine whether to formally unseat or reinstate him.
The country's liberal opposition-controlled parliament voted to impeach Yoon last Saturday over his short-lived December 3 martial law imposition, suspending his presidential powers until the Constitutional Court determines whether to uphold or overturn the decision. If Yoon is dismissed, a national election must be held to pick his successor within two months.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who became acting leader, has taken steps to reassure the US and other countries and stabilise markets. Presiding over a Cabinet Council meeting on Tuesday, Han said he will “continuously do my utmost to inform the international society that Republic of Korea is fast regaining stability and maintain confidence with partners."
But the country's intense political strife appears to be far from over, as the rival parties began bickering over whether to fill three vacant justices' seats at the Constitutional Court.
To formally end Yoon's presidency, the nine-member court panel needs support from at least six justices. But since three seats remain vacant following retirements, a unanimous decision in favour of Yoon's impeachment is required to throw him out of office for good.
Three of the court's nine justices are directly appointed by the president. Three others are nominated by the Supreme Court head and another three by the National Assembly, and their formal appointments by the president has widely been a formality. The three seats that are currently open are to be nominated by the National Assembly — two by the Democratic Party and the other by Yoon's ruling People Power Party.
The court can rule on Yoon's case only with the current six justices. But the main liberal opposition Democratic Party, which led the impeachment efforts against Yoon, has said it would speed up the process of restoring the court's nine-justice system to promote fairness and public confidence in its ruling.
But PPP floor leader Kweon Seong-dong, a Yoon loyalist, created a stir Tuesday as he voiced his objection to a Democratic Party push to fill the three vacancies. He said it would be inappropriate for Han, the acting leader, to appoint justices nominated by parliament, saying such authorities solely rest with the president.
“An acting president can appoint Constitutional Court justices when there is a presidential vacancy, but not when the president's duties are just suspended,” Kweon said.
Many observers say the court's current six-member configuration is advantageous for Yoon's chances to return to office, as it would only require a single justice rejecting the parliament impeachment. They note Cheong Hyungsik, one of the six justices, is a clear conservative who was directly appointed by Yoon.
The Democratic Party quickly dismissed Kweon's argument as “absurd and utterly nonsensical” and urged PPP to abide by a November agreement between the rival parties to nominate the three Constitutional Court justices.
Party lawmaker and spokesperson Jo Seoung-lae said PPP has “blatantly revealed their true intention to obstruct the constitutional trial.”
There was no immediate response from Han, who during the Cabinet meeting stressed that the government will cooperate with the ruling and opposition parties to stabilize the economy.
There is no clear definition about what an acting president can and cannot do over the appointments of court justices. The Democratic party accuses PPP of trying to drag out the impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court, which has up to 180 days to determine Yoon's fate.
Time is a crucial issue for Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, who is favored by polls to win a presidential by-election in the event of Yoon's ouster but grapples with his own legal troubles. Lee could possibly be prohibited from running for president if the appellate and Supreme courts uphold his lower court conviction for election law violation in November.
Yoon faces allegations of rebellion and abuse of power over his martial law introduction. Investigative authorities want him to appear for questioning later this week, but officials at Yoon's office and residence on Monday refused to receive requests for his appearance.
The martial law declaration, the first of its kind in more than 40 years, drew hundreds of troops who tried to encircle parliament and prevent lawmakers from voting on the decree. Many lawmakers still managed to get inside a National Assembly chamber and voted to overturn Yoon's decree unanimously, forcing Yoon's Cabinet to lift it.
Yoon's decree, which harkened back to an era of past military-backed dictatorships, has sparked massive street protests calling for his ouster and resulted in his approval rating plummeting. Yoon's defense minister, police chief and several other senior military commanders have been arrested over their roles in the martial law enforcement.
Supporters of Yoon worry that his early exit would severely hamper the country's conservatives and cause them to likely lose a presidential by-election to the liberals, like they did in 2017, when then-impeached conservative President Park Geun-hye was ousted and arrested over a corruption scandal.
