Post News Network
Chhatrapur, Nov 29: Fourteen women died at the Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati (MKCG) Hospital in Berhampur during childbirth Saturday, prompting district collector Prem Chandra Chaudhary to order an inquiry.
Chaudhary also called a meeting which was attended by ASHA workers, CDPOs and senior medical officers, and asked for a report to be submitted at the earliest.
Ganjam district has witnessed a sharp increase in the number of maternity deaths this year, with several awareness programmes held in this regard proving to be ineffective.
The reasons behind the deaths of the women were said to be immense blood loss and a history of frequent abortions. Chaudhary later in the day met the family members of the deceased women and extended his condolences. The district collector ordered that medical officials undertake visits to remote villages on a regular basis and ordered regular inspection visits on ultrasound clinics to ensure that sex determination tests were not being carried out.
Police were ordered to take stringent action against quacks found to be conducting abortions. The collector also said women will have to be kept under treatment for at least 24 hours after delivery.
The collector warned medical officials of action if they were found to be in dereliction of duty.
CDMO Dr Mrutyunjaya Mishra, additional CDMO Dr Sukanti Mishra and Dr Saroj Mishra and child health officer Ashish Kumar Mohanty were present at the meeting.
