Death Of Mother And Newborn: Bombay HC Directs JJ Hospital Dean To Appear In Court, Expresses Concern Over Repetition Of Incident
**Bombay High Court Directs JJ Hospital Dean to Explain Maternity Hospital Inspections Following Tragic Deaths**
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday ordered the Dean of JJ Hospital to appear in court on Wednesday to explain whether regular inspections are conducted at maternity hospitals across the state to verify if they possess the required permissions and maintain basic facilities.
The directive comes after a tragic incident on April 29, in which a woman and her newborn died at a maternity home in Bhandup, allegedly due to negligence by hospital authorities. The woman’s husband filed a petition in the High Court, alleging medical negligence in the deaths of his wife and child.
According to the plea, the delivery at Sushma Swaraj Maternity Home in Bhandup West took place using mobile phone flashlights because of a power failure. The newborn died at the Bhandup hospital, while the woman passed away shortly after being shifted to Sion hospital.
“We don’t want a repeat of the incident,” said a bench comprising Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Prithviraj Chavan, as they summoned Dean Pallavi Saple to attend court.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) informed the bench that disciplinary action had been taken against the doctor on duty during the incident. The doctor had decided to shift the woman to Sion hospital after encountering electrical problems and finding the generator non-functional.
BMC advocate Poornima Kantharia stated that the doctor should have consulted senior colleagues before transferring the patient. The bench questioned how a hospital’s generator could fail, emphasizing the importance of maintaining emergency power backup.
The court also inquired whether regular inspections are conducted at maternity hospitals to ensure compliance. Urging authorities to take a broader view, the bench stressed, “Not everyone has the capacity to come to court. You just look at it from a wider perspective,” and asked the concerned BMC officer to remain present during proceedings.
Meanwhile, National Medical Commission (NMC) advocate Ganesh Gole informed the court that the commission had not yet taken action against the doctor, as it had not received any formal grievance from the family.
The bench, however, expressed disappointment and stated it did not want to engage in hypertechnicalities in this case. “We don’t want to get hyper technical in this case. Lives are precious. Don’t you have the power to take cognisance and take action?” the bench questioned.
Highlighting the commission’s responsibilities, the bench added, “If you come across a news report that something gross is happening in some hospital, don’t you have power to act? You can’t turn a blind eye to the incident.”
In response, Gole said the husband’s petition would be treated as a formal representation, and the commission would take necessary steps accordingly.
The court’s stern remarks underscore the urgency of ensuring strict oversight and accountability in maternity healthcare facilities to prevent such tragic incidents in the future.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/death-of-mother-and-newborn-bombay-hc-directs-jj-hospital-dean-to-appear-in-court-expresses-concern-over-repetition-of-incident
