The Gujarat High Court has issued notices to the state government and two hospitals (Mirani Hospital and LG Hospital) in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL).
Petitioner Nikunj Mevada filed the PIL through his advocate Rajan Patel asking the government to frame rules for treating pregnant women and newborn children in emergencies.
The state has recorded two incidents in the last two months wherein the hospital did not treat pregnant women having labour pain. A PIL was filed after these incidents.
In one incident, a woman gave birth to a child on the stairs of Mirani hospital in Tarapur taluka of Anand district in January. However, she had to stay outside the hospital in bitter cold as she could not pay the Rs 42,000 fee asked by the hospital.
Another incident took place in February at LG Hospital, where the staff refused to admit a woman in labour pain. As a result, she gave birth on the hospital premises, but the child died.
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