Pakistan: Hospital staff severs newborn's head, leaves it inside womb
In a horrifying case of medical negligence, the staff at a rural health center in Punjab's Sindh province reportedly cut off the head of a newborn and left it inside the mother's womb. They also put the life of the mother—a 32-year-old Hindu woman—in danger. Following the incident, the authorities constituted a medical investigation board to probe the matter and track down the perpetrators.
How was mother saved after 'botched' surgery?
When the woman was in a life-threatening condition, she was taken to a nearby hospital in Mithi, where the necessary facilities weren't available. Then, her family had to rush her to Jomshoro's Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), where the remainder of the newborn's body was removed from the womb, saving the mother's life.
'Inexperienced staff caused her immense trauma'
Professor Raheel Sikander, the gynecology department's head at LUMHS, stated, "The Bheel Hindu woman, who belongs to a far-flung village in Tharparkar...had first gone to a rural health center (RHC) in her area, but with no female gynecologist available, the inexperienced staff caused her immense trauma." Terming it "botched" surgery, Sikandar stated the newborn's head was entrapped while the mother's womb was severely ruptured.
Sindh Health Services Director-General launches investigation
To save the mother, LUMHS doctors had to surgically open her abdomen and remove the baby's head. The blunder prompted Sindh Health Services Director General Dr. Juman Bahoto to order a separate investigation into the case. He stated the investigation committees will probe what transpired, particularly the absence of female gynecologists and staff members at the Chachro RHC, where the botched surgery took place.
'Some members of the staff took her photos': Dr. Bahoto
The inquiry committee members will also investigate reports that the woman was traumatized by having her photos/videos taken while on a stretcher at the RHC, PTI reported. According to Dr. Bahoto, "Apparently, some members of the staff took her photos on a mobile phone in the gynecology ward and shared those pictures with different WhatsApp groups." Notably, Sindh has Pakistan's highest concentration of Hindus.
