Six hospitals say ‘no’ to pregnant woman

A 27-week pregnant woman with premature labour pains was allegedly refused treatment by at least six private and government hospitals across three emirates last week.

Nearly all hospitals, she has claimed, said they did not have bed space.

The seventh hospital also initially refused the Indian woman, but took her in after realising that she would deliver within minutes.

However, her premature baby boy died two days after birth due to bleeding in the lungs, reports show. Doctors from the Iranian Hospital told the woman that her baby could have survived if she had arrived at the hospital earlier, she said.

When 34-year-old Pushpa K Joy finally gave birth at 10pm on November 8, she had been shuttling between hospitals in heavy traffic, bearing severe birthing pains for over 10 hours. The hospitals also refused to provide an ambulance, she has alleged.

A week after the death of the child they had been wanting for long, the distraught couple says they are seeking answers. They have questioned the medical ethics and doctors’ responsibilities.

Dr Abdullah Khayat from Latifa Hospital in Dubai, Dr Arif Nouryani from Al Qasimi Hospital in Sharjah and Dr Obaid Al Khudaim from Baraha Hospital in Dubai said Pushpa may have been turned away because currently they are all overbooked by 100 per cent. She had not pre-registered with them, they added.

“I had been attending pre-natals at Dr Sunny’s Clinic in Sharjah and was told that everything is normal,” said Pushpa, adding that her doctor told her she would be referred to a nearby hospital after she completed her seventh month for delivery, since the clinic does not have an inpatient facility. Nothing was said about registering ahead of time, she said.

“On November 7, I started feeling some pain and went to see my doctor at the clinic. I was administered an injection and advised complete bed rest,” she said.

The next day at around 2pm, when Pushpa’s pains got worse she was asked to visit Gulf Medical University (GMU) in Ajman by her doctor with a letter explaining her condition.

Pushpa, also mother to an eight-year-old daughter, claims the doctor stopped responding to her calls when she could not find a place in any hospital.

A statement from Dr Sunny’s Clinic read: “In a polyclinic setup, a gynaecologist usually takes care of the patient for the first two trimesters of pregnancy (antenatal). Pushpa was not a high-risk patient in the beginning, but after her fifth month, she developed slight fluid increase (amniotic fluid on upper normal level). She was advised to register at a government hospital/private hospital of her choice. The doctor in question also attended all the calls on November 8. Ironically, the doctor herself contacted the relative of the patient who accompanied her to check on her status that too after duty hours.”

Pushpa also claimed that after a check-up, GMU said they did have not space and told her to visit Al Qasimi Hospital in Sharjah. In a statement, GMU said: “As per the medical records of GMU Hospital, Ajman, no patient in the name of Pushpa K Joy has reported to the hospital for any sort of consultation/treatment/delivery on the said date.”

“From Al Qasimi I was sent to Al Baraha in Dubai because they too said they did not have space,” she claimed. Pushpa, who works as a school nurse in Sharjah, alleged that all these hospitals had done her check-ups before turning her away and knew that she was having contractions.

“From Baraha, we went to NMC Specialty in Dubai but were told that rules did not allow them to admit a patient who has not completed 30 weeks of pregnancy.” In a detailed statement, NMC Specialty Hospital said when the patient visited them on November 8 she was 27 weeks pregnant, in early labour and in stable condition.

“It was suggested that she visit the government hospital to ensure safe delivery of her baby, as the baby was very premature and our hospital was not privileged to treat babies below 30 weeks gestation. When she left NMC, she was not in a state of medical emergency and was stable,” it read.

By this time, Pushpa had ‘‘dilated six and half centimeters and was almost ready to give birth’’.

Being driven by her brother James Korah, Pushpa was then taken to Iranian Hospital that initially also refused but upon seeing her condition and on the personal responsibility of a doctor, admitted her.

According to reports issued by Iranian Hospital and obtained by Khaleej Times, Pushpa delivered just 10 minutes after she reached. Her baby could not survive.

James said the ordeal was a “horrific incident”.

“What kind of law is above a human’s life? What is a doctor’s responsibility?”

Jojo, Pushpa’s husband said he wants women to be prepared for premature childbirth and not undergo what his wife has had to. “I could have lost my wife ... someone should have taken a call and realised that a human life was at stake.”

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com