MIRPURKHAS, Jan 14: EDO Health Dr Khadim Hussain Lakhair has ordered an inquiry into death of a pregnant woman and her new-born child during delivery at a private hospital.

Mr Rajoo, a contractor, filed a written complaint to the EDO of health, alleging that his daughter Ms Raj Kumari and her child died due to negligence of untrained staff of a hospital run by the Mirpurkhas District Mother and Child Welfare Association.

Rajoo told Dawn that on January 6, his pregnant daughter was taken to the private hospital at Hameedpura road for delivery but no lady doctor was available there.

He alleged that staff of the hospital tried to operate upon her as a result of which her one vein was cut which resulted into profuse bleeding.

He said that during this when he demanded to call a lady doctor, the staff sought Rs2,000 for calling a lady doctor. He lamented that he agreed to pay the amount but the lady doctor did not turn up.

Later, the staff increased the demanded to Rs5000 and said that the lady doctor had demanded to see the patient at Bhittai Hospital. He said that hospital administration did not provide him an ambulance to shift his daughter to Bhittai Hospital. He said later he was told that a boy was born who also died afterwards.

He further said that at 6pm the staff called an ambulance and shifted his daughter to St Adventist Hospital when she had already expired due to serious negligence and bleeding. He added that lady doctor at St Adventist Hospital, after examining her, pronounced her death and said that the patient had died before arrival at this hospital.

When this scribe visited the hospital, the office assistant Ramchand did not allow him to meet with the hospital staff.

Honorary Secretary of Mirpurkhas District Maternity and Child Welfare Association, Haji Akhlaq Ahmed, told this scribe that staff of the hospital had normally examined the patient Raj Kumari and conceded of mismanagement while handling this case. He said that the child had died before birth and the mother was alive when shifted to St Adventist Hospital.