Lucknow woman delivers baby while standing in queue for COVID test

A pregnant 22-year-old woman, who was refused admission to the Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS) till she cleared the corona test, delivered her baby while standing in queue for the test on Monday. The woman, Palak, was in labour when she arrived at the hospital but was asked to go to the triage area where tests are done through the TruNat machine.

She could barely stand and when her amniotic sac ruptured, she collapsed and delivered the baby on the spot. The incident led to panic and the medical staff shifted the woman and the newborn to a ward. The institute has ordered an investigation into the incident and a faculty member and two senior and two junior residents of the obstetrics and gynaecology department have been asked to go off duty. The woman's husband, Raman Dixit, a daily wager, told reporters that Palak was nine months pregnant and labour pains started on Monday after which he rushed her to the hospital.

"However, staff in the emergency ward of gynaecology did not admit her saying that as per protocol, she first needed to undergo a Covid-19 test. The test costs Rs 1,500 and I was not carrying so much cash. I made my wife stand along with a relative in the queue for Covid-19 test and went home to bring the money. When I returned, I found that my wife had already given birth to a boy and was admitted in the ward," said husband, Raman.

Dr Srikesh Singh, the spokesperson of RMLIMS, said that the woman and her baby are doing fine. Officiating Director of RMLIMS, Prof Nuzhat Hussain, said, "A three-member committee will submit its report on the incident in three days. Till then, the five staff members will remain off duty. The head of obstetrics and gynaecology has been asked to explain why instead of providing emergency care when the woman was in labour pain, she was sent for Covid-19 testing."