Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India]: Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla has taken a strict stance on the recent death of a newborn, allegedly due to the lack of an ambulance in Sidhi, stating that a penalty will be imposed on the ambulance service company to prevent such negligence in the future.
In Sidhi district, a pregnant woman experienced labour pains on Friday, November 1, prompting her family to call an ambulance. Despite their call, the ambulance did not arrive even after an hour. The woman’s husband attempted to take her to the hospital using a handcart, but she gave birth en route, and the newborn tragically died shortly after.
Responding to the incident, Deputy CM Shukla told media, “Action has been taken against the ambulance service company, as it is essential to verify their response time after a call is placed. Why did the ambulance fail to arrive on time? Additionally, a show cause notice has been issued to the Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) and Civil Surgeon, requesting clarification on how such a situation arose.”
He further emphasised that the state government is highly concerned about healthcare and is actively working to improve health facilities across the state.
“The government is highly sensitive on this matter. Health services are being upgraded, doctors are being recruited, new equipment is being provided, and facilities are being constructed. Despite these efforts, the government will not tolerate such incidents,” Shukla asserted.
When asked about measures to prevent similar occurrences, the Deputy CM stated that responses to the show cause notices would be reviewed and action taken as necessary.
“A response to the issued show cause notice will be sought, and appropriate action will follow. Additionally, a penalty will be imposed on the ambulance service provider to ensure there is no recurrence of such negligence,” the Deputy CM concluded.