3 pregnant women die at Ludhiana govt hospital in three days

There pregnant women died at a government-run hospital here in the past three days prompting the state's Health Minister to pay a visit at the facility.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani today visited Civil Hospital Ludhiana, where the "unfortunate" incident happened, and also announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased.
"A high-level probe headed by Dr HS Bali, Director Health, is going on in the deaths of three pregnant women and a report would be submitted on December 6," the Minister informed.
"If any doctor or staff of Civil Hospital Ludhiana is found guilty strict action would be taken," he said. But no one should be blamed till the final report comes, he added.

The minister said he is keeping a close tab on the entire development to ensure a free and fair probe.
"Once the report is submitted, the guilty would not be spared," Jyani said.

The Minister said 12 medicines which the government hospitals in Punjab were using to treat pregnant women have been banned and the health department has taken their samples.
"We would send these samples for checking," the Minister said but added that the same medicines were given to other pregnant women and they are safe.
"We just want to make sure we know the reason of the deaths," he said.

Three pregnant women had died in the Ludhiana Civil Hospital in the past three days raising questions over health facilities at government hospitals.