Headline: Mulund hospital turns away pregnant women on their delivery day
Strap: Three positions of gynaecologists still remain vacant
One doctor, appointed only after protests, forced to handle 15 patients daily
Deepa H Sarna

ESIS hospital is turning away pregnant women. With just one gynaecologist, in place of required four, incapable of handling 15 cases per day, they claim they are compelled to take the step. But this is leaving the patients, despite registering with the hospital for the delivery date months in advance, frazzled as they have to hunt for a hospital at the last moment.
Surprisingly, this is the story of the hospital since the last three days as before that they blatantly took appointments and asked the pregnant women, in dire need of medical assistance, to return as they had no gynaecologist on the pay rolls at all. The doctor was appointed on temporary basis on October 31, after members of political parties and patients staged a protest in the hospital premises. According to authorities, the remaining three vacant positions too will take some time to be filled as they have only written to the senior authorities.
A source from the hospital confirmed, "What is shocking is that despite being aware of the fact that they have only one doctor in place, the hospital authorities give out delivery dates to expectant mothers. When they come to the hospital on designated date, they are simply asked to go to some other hospital. This is nothing but aggravating the woes of the patients. It is too much of a mental harassment for pregnant women."
Siddhi Kubal, who was turned away by the hospital in a similar manner, said, "I visited this hospital couple of months back to get a delivery date. On that day, the doctors issued a due date for me. But when I reached there, I was referred to civil hospital. On the other hand, the civil hospital staff too refused to admit me looking at the emergency."
"I wasn't paid the amount that I spent at the other hospital. Besides, they even didn't bother to make arrangements at some other hospital too," she added.
deepa_s@dnaindia.net