The Kerala government on Wednesday suspended a consultant doctor at a local hospital here, after allegations surfaced over the death of a newborn following a C-section delivery.
Dr Bindhu Sundar, who was serving as a consultant in the gynaecology department at the state-run hospital in nearby Nedumangad, has been suspended pending an inquiry.
According to a government order, the action was taken because of the allegations of medical negligence in connection with the newborn’s death on Tuesday, as well as bribery charges, which were circulated in the media.
The order stated that the doctor concerned has been placed under suspension with immediate effect, subject to a detailed investigation and disciplinary proceedings. Earlier in the day, State Health Minister Veena George had ordered Dr Sundar’s transfer from Nedumangad Hospital, pending inquiry. She also directed that an expert committee of doctors be formed to conduct a thorough investigation into the child’s death.
Following the minister’s order, a team of specialist doctors from SAT Hospital was formed to carry out the investigation, an official statement said. The team includes experts from the departments of paediatrics, gynaecology and anaesthesiology. They have been asked to submit an urgent report to the government on Wednesday itself.
The Nedumangad hospital has witnessed intense demonstrations by various political parties and local residents since Tuesday evening, after the newborn died following a C-section procedure. The family of the child alleged that doctor’s negligence led to the baby’s death. They also claimed that bribes had been given to the doctor before the delivery.
Previously, the Kerala Government Medical Officers' Association (KGMOA) had ordered strict legal action against those who allegedly attacked doctors and created turmoil at the Nedumangad district hospital.
In a statement, the district unit of the KGMOA said the newborn’s death was “deeply painful and unfortunate”. However, it strongly criticised what it described as violence and a “mob trial” targeting the hospital superintendent and the District Medical Officer.
Calling the incident “unacceptable in a democratic society”, the association announced that February 18 would be observed as a protest day in the capital district. The KGMOA said healthcare workers were working round-the-clock to provide quality treatment despite severe staff shortages and limited infrastructure.
It stated that portraying doctors as criminals over medical complications and publicly humiliating them was condemnable. The association sought strict legal action under the Kerala Healthcare Service Persons and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act against those who allegedly created tension in the hospital and attacked doctors.
It also called for the formation of an expert panel to carry out an immediate, transparent and impartial investigation into the incident. The association said any action against doctors based solely on allegations, without the panel’s report, would be unjustified. The KGMOA warned that if hasty decisions were taken under external pressure, it would be forced to launch strong protests.
On Tuesday, police registered a case of unnatural death under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in connection with the newborn’s death at the district hospital. Family members of the woman stated that they were told a caesarean section would be performed if the baby was not delivered by noon. However, they claimed that the procedure was delayed. “Had they performed the caesarean earlier, the baby would have survived,” the relatives told mediapersons.
Activists of the Congress, BJP and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) staged protests outside the hospital on Tuesday, seeking action against the doctor concerned, police said.
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