mumbai

Updated: Apr 15, 2020 23:19 IST

Seven hospitals in the city refused to admit a Covid-19 positive pregnant woman, 27, from Grant Road, who is expected to deliver in three days, owing to lack of Covid-19 obstetrician-gynecologist ward, her husband alleged, adding she was kept at home without medication, even 30 hours after the diagnosis. Finally, BYL Nair hospital agreed to admit the woman on Wednesday evening.

According to the protocol of the union health ministry, when a patient is found positive of Covid-19, he/she needs to be immediately shifted to an isolation ward. The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) recently issued an advisory – Management of Pregnant Women in Covid-19 Pandemic – seeking special care for pregnant women.

The woman didn’t have symptoms. Around four months ago, the couple had reserved a bed for her delivery at Masina Hospital. According to the instructions from the hospital, they did the Covid-19 test on Saturday. On Tuesday, when her reports came positive, the hospital refused to admit her, alleged the husband. Dr Vispi Jokhi, MS CEO, Masina Hospital, said, “Nothing like that has happened and I won’t be able to comment on it.”

The husband said he then contacted King Edward Memorial (KEM), Bhabha (Kurla), St George, Kasturba, Seven Hills hospitals, along with two private hospitals, but was turned down by all.

“BMC officials didn’t admit my wife to an isolation ward and she was at home without treatment even 30 hours after the diagnosis. On Wednesday, some health officers came for inspection and fumigated the building, but refused to admit my wife,” said the husband.

When HT inquired with Seven Hills, the biggest isolation facility in the city, Dr Mohan Joshi said, “We don’t have the facility and within a day, we can’t set it up for the delivery.”

This comes days after a 30-year-old Covid-19 positive pregnant woman from Nallasopara succumbed to the infection at BYL Nair Hospital in Mumbai Central on April 4.

According to a gynaecologist associated with Kasturba Hospital, hospitals refuse to admit such patients owing to the post-delivery complication, along with possible vertical transmission during delivery. “Firstly, the pregnant woman will have complications due to the infection. Secondly, even after delivery, the condition of the mother can deteriorate further, with breathing complications. Lastly, the hospital needs to take proper care to stop any possible transmission of the virus from the mother to the child during delivery,” she said. “This is why, hospitals with Covid-19 isolation facilities, too, are refusing to admit the woman.”

“We are looking into it. Our doctors are in touch with them,” said Dr Daksha Shah, deputy health officer BMC, said earlier in the day. “The hospital is sending an ambulance to ferry my wife to the isolation ward. At least, my wife will start getting treatment and we hope to have a healthy child,” said the husband. “If anything happens to my wife, I will drag them to court.”

Talking to HT, politician Rais Sheikh, who intervened in the matter, said, “Now, it has been made compulsory to undergo test for Covid-19 before delivery. But in Mumbai, there is no facility for Covid-19 positive pregnant women. This is complete mismanagement.”

Health activists said the BMC should convert one of their 28 maternity hospitals into a Covid-19 centre for deliveries and treatment of infected pregnant women to avoid such negligence in the future. “The BMC needs to take precautionary measures to provide better healthcare to pregnant women, who are already vulnerable to the infection. If community transmission starts, more pregnant women can get infected,” said Dr Ravikant Singh, a health activist.