Alappuzha: A woman who was undergoing treatment at the Government Medical College Hospital here breathed her last on Sunday triggering a protest from her relatives.  The deceased is Shibina (31), wife of Ansar, native of Karoor, in Purakkad panchayat. The relatives alleged medical negligence as the woman died within 35 days after giving birth to her child at the same hospital.

Shibina was admitted to the hospital on March 21 for delivery and gave birth to a baby girl on March 26. A few days after getting discharged from the hospital, she was readmitted after her health conditions worsened. Her relatives alleged that the doctors chose to overlook Shibina's condition despite being intimated about discomfort and pain in the stomach at the time of discharge. 

Shibina's condition worsened due to infection and was admitted to the ICU on March 30 and she underwent dialysis. She was put on a ventilator on Sunday morning, but could not be saved. 

Following her death, relatives staged a protest at the hospital alleging medical negligence. They have filed a complaint with the police and the Chief Minister seeking a probe. 

Dies of cardiac arrest
Amid the protest, the Govt. Medical College Superintendent Dr Abdul Salam denied the alleged medical negligence in Shibina's treatment. According to him, Shibina had a urinary tract infection which later spread to the patient's stomach. 

“A surgery was carried out following which the condition of the patient was gradually improving. However, two back-to-back cardiac arrests in the last two days worsened the condition of the patient, eventually leading to her death. A medical board would be constituted to further probe the matter,” the superintendent said.