A newborn baby died shortly after delivery at SNM Hospital on March 7, allegedly due to medical negligence. The family claims excessive pressure was applied to the mother’s belly, the doctor was not called on time, and the hospital staff failed to provide proper care.

The father of the deceased child shared his account: “I admitted my wife, who was 9 months and 9 days pregnant, to the hospital. She complained of labor pains around 7 pm and was moved to the labor room. She is a mother of two and was expecting her third child. I, along with a relative, waited outside the labor room, concerned as we heard her in pain. My wife asked the medical staff to call the doctor because the pain was becoming unbearable, but they ignored her and responded rudely. Later, she told me they continued to apply pressure to her belly, leaving it bruised. This went on until 3 am, when the baby was delivered via vacuum. Unfortunately, the baby was in poor health and didn’t survive.”

The father added, “We were heartbroken, as all the checkups and ultrasounds had shown that the baby was healthy, and my wife said the baby had been moving prior to delivery.”

The situation did not end there. The mother, after being discharged, returned to the hospital due to some bandages left inside her body, which the husband alleges were not properly addressed. 

The family insists that the incident could have been prevented had the doctor intervened in time.

The father of the deceased child said, "I have lost my baby, and the hospital staff apologized to me for the loss. But I want to raise this issue because I don’t want anyone else to go through what my wife and I experienced. I request the health department and medical staff to be more careful and serious. I understand the hard work and struggles you go through in your duty, but such negligence should not happen again."

SNM Hospital, the primary healthcare facility in Leh district, is known for its infrastructure and medical services. However, this case has raised serious concerns about medical practices at the institution.

Dr. Rinchen Chosdol, Medical Superintendent of SNM Hospital, expressed condolences to the family and clarified that the case is classified as neonatal death, which differs from stillbirth. She stated that the patient was admitted on March 6, and all deaths at the hospital are documented and reviewed by higher authorities.

An internal audit was conducted with the involvement of family members, attendees, night-duty staff, the on-duty doctor, the Deputy CMO, and a mother-child consultant. The investigation is ongoing, and if any staff members are found at fault, appropriate actions will be taken as per hospital regulations.

Dr. Chosdol further explained that complications can arise at any stage of delivery, even in the final moments. To ensure transparency, additional investigations will include individual discussions with those present during the birth.

She emphasized that nurses and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) across India receive Skilled Birth Attendant (SBA) training, enabling them to conduct normal deliveries. Doctors oversee critical reports such as ECGs and are available on call 24/7.

“In this case, the child’s partogram and fetal cardiac activity were recorded as normal. However, the final results of the investigation will be determined after a thorough audit. The report is expected within 2–3 days”, she said.

Previous incidents raise further concerns

As per guidelines, an internal audit is required in cases of maternal mortality to identify causes and prevent future incidents. However, similar audits in the past have failed to produce concrete results.
In December 2020, a 32-year-old woman also died after childbirth at SNM Hospital, allegedly due to staff negligence. The family claimed excessive bleeding led to her death. At the time, Dr. Norzin Angmo, then Medical Superintendent, stated that an investigation was underway and a proper audit would be conducted.

This latest incident has once again highlighted concerns over medical negligence and the need for stricter accountability in maternal and neonatal care at the hospital.