'Doctor' among three held for running hospital illegally

Those arrested managed the Warsi Hospital, a 13-bed medical facility in Mumbra town, which was shut down some five years back for indulging in unwanted activities, including illegal abortions, police inspector Arun Sonde said today.

The hospital, which was re-opened later, was managed by Zulekha Sheikh, who was assisted by her daughter Roshna Tabrez Gohati and son Anas Sheikh. None of them had any medical degree, he said.

One Hina Mohamed Hafiz Sayed was admitted to the hospital for delivery and on May 20 she delivered a boy weighing 2.5 kg around 11 am.

Since the delivery was normal and it was her second child, Hina was up on her feet an hour later. She even met relatives and had lunch around 12.30 pm, police said.

Around 1.30 pm Zulekha called Hina to a room for a check-up. Around 4 pm, Hina's mother entered the room and found her daughter lying in a pool of blood.

Zulekha then told the family that Hina's condition was critical and she should be taken to another hospital. Hina was rushed to nearby Kalsekar Hospital, where she died within 15 minutes of being admitted, they said.

A police complaint was lodged and the matter was referred to the State Maternal Death Committee. The panel, which submitted its report to Health Department, stated that the Sheikhs are a family of quacks. Following this, police arrested Zulekha, and her two children, and sealed their hospital, which was being run without proper registration.

The report said Hina died because of uterine inversion and massive blood loss. Zulekha was unable to handle some post delivery complications due to which Hina's condition deteriorated beyond recovery, the police said.