NHRC asks comments from Secretary, Health Department, Govt. of NCT of Delhi and Medical Supdt. GTB Hospital<br>

New Delhi 11th September, 2006
The National Human Rights Commission has asked for comments from the Secretary, Health Deptt. Government of NCT of Delhi and Medical Supdt. of G.T.B.Hospital on a press report which said that a resident of Loni, UP was demanded blood in the first instance for admitting his pregnant wife in the hospital.
Taking suo-motu cognizance of a report published in the Hindi daily 'Amar Ujala' the Commission said that if the contents of the report are true, they raise a serious issue of violation of right to health of the citizens. The report which appeared on 18th August 2006 under the heading "Pehale Khoon Lao Phir Mariz Bharti Karangay" said that Mohd. Afaq was compelled to spend 40 hours moving from one government hospital to another for treatment of his pregnant wife Naima. When he went to GTB hospital, Shahdara, Delhi on 14.8.2006 the doctor at Septic Labour Room (SLR) recommended a caesarian delivery and asked Afaq to arrange one unit of blood so that the patient can be admitted. Due to her critical condition Afaq took her to Swami Dayanand Hospital, Shahdara, there also the doctors demanded blood in the first place. However, at the instance of local MLA his wife was admitted in the hospital but doctor Nidhi the night duty CMO discharged his wife at 11 PM on account of non-arrangement of blood.
Mohd. Afaq again came back to the GTB and Naima was admitted on the condition of arranging blood later. After he arranged and deposited one unit of blood on 16.8.2006 his wife was operated upon in the GTB hospital. The report also mentions that three women patients in ward No. 13 of the hospital made similar complaints that attendants with them had also donated blood, though they did not require blood during their operation. The news report also highlights that blood was demanded before the admission of all the pregnant women and majority of them did not require blood. However, the Medical Supdt. at GTB Dr. L.C. Thakur maintained that there were no complaints about non-admission of patients without blood in his hospital.
The Commission has directed that a copy of newspaper report be sent to the Secretary, Health Department, Govt. of NCT of Delhi and Medical Superintendent GTB Hospital for their comments within two weeks.
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