4 deliver babies under phone lights at UP health centre
Power went off and a newly installed Rs 20-lakh solar plant failed to function
Lucknow: An inquiry has been ordered after four women allegedly delivered babies under the light of mobile phones at a government health centre in Beruarbari, UP officials said on Friday.
A three-member investigation committee, led by the deputy chief medical officer, has been formed to probe the incident. Chief Medical Officer Dr Sanjeev Barman said that information was received through media reports alleging that four pregnant women underwent delivery by mobile phone lights on Monday night at the government health centre in Beruarbari, located 12 km from the district headquarters.
“The preliminary findings suggest this occurred because the transformer at the Beruarbari Primary Health Centre (PHC) had burned out three days prior. This happened despite the fact that a generator and diesel were available at the health centre,” the CMO told reporters.
Power went off and a newly installed ₹20-lakh solar plant failed to function.
Pinki’s husband Chandrama, 40, said electric lights and fans hardly ever worked at the Beruarbari PHC, located in Ballia district.
“Almost every week, I accompany one patient or the other from the village to this hospital. I have never seen a light working or a fan moving,” he said
Sanjeev Varman, chief medical officer of Ballia, said: “We have served a notice on the company that installed the solar plant at the hospital. An inquiry has been ordered why the staff had to attend to the patients by the light of mobile phones.”
