Twins perish in botched-up delivery

KARACHI: Multiple inquiries have been launched into a tragic incident of a childbirth in a Tharparkar town where inexperienced staff cut torso of an unborn baby at a health facility, leaving a baby's head and the other twin inside the mother’s womb, Sindh Health Department officials said on Sunday.

“The incident took place on Thursday (June 16, 2022) at a charity hospital in Chachro town of Tharparkar district. A pregnant woman with twins was taken to a health facility where inexperienced staff cut the torso of one of the twins with blade, leaving the head and the other twin inside her womb, as the baby was not in the cephalic position,” Director General Health Sindh Dr. Jumman Bahoto told The News on Sunday.

Initially, the locals reported the incident took place at Rural Health Center (RHC), Chachro, from where the pregnant woman was shifted to Civil Hospital Mithi but as there were no facilities available for the major surgery, she was referred to Civil Hospital, Hyderabad, where the head of the baby and the remains of the other twin were removed.

District Health Officer (DHO) Mithi Dr. Greesh said the incident took place at a charity hospital where a lady doctor and a nurse tried to deliver the baby. Since the baby was not in the cephalic position, the head was stuck and could not be removed.

“The lady doctor, who is not a gynaecologist, then used a blade to cut the torso while the head remained inside. The mother was shifted to Civil Hospital, Mithi. Due to her critical condition, she was referred to Civil Hospital, Hyderabad, where the head of the baby and remains of the other fetus were removed,” Dr. Greesh added.

The Sindh Health Department, on the directives of the health minister and the Sindh Health secretary, have formed multiple inquiry committees. Civil Surgeon of Civil Hospital Mithi, Dr. Zahid Mahmood, gynaecologist Dr. Mohini and Medical Superintendent Taluka Hospital Chachro Dr Lekhraj have been directed to probe the matter and report their findings in 24 hours.

On the other hand, the Sindh Health Department officials said they had instructed the staff at the Chachro to lodge a criminal case against the hospital administration, adding the Sindh Healthcare Commission would also be asked to conduct an inquiry to see if the hospital could be allowed to operate anymore or not.