Woman delivers on footpath in South Mumbai after hospitals refuse help

PSI Priya Garud

Amid the COVID chaos, a police officer's struggle to get a street-dweller in labour admitted to a hospital for delivery helped save the woman and her baby on July 5.

Despite all efforts though, the woman had to ultimately deliver her baby on the footpath near Metro Cinema 5 as doctors from all nearby hospitals refused to attend to her and no ambulance was available. After hundreds of calls were made by the policewoman, an ambulance arrived after three hours with a PPE kit to take the mother and child to the hospital.

Police Sub Inspector Priya Garud was on duty in the area on the night of July 4 when she received a call from her staff about a pregnant woman shouting for help near Metro Cinema.

"I called the police control room and explained the situation to them," said PSI Garud who rushed to the spot immediately while some cops were also sent to nearby Cama and Albless Hospital to fetch help. "An RMO in the casualty department denied help. He asked us to bring the woman to the hospital. He didn't budge even after we explained the situation to him," she added.

By the time the staff returned to the spot, the woman had delivered the baby but the umbilical cord was stuck inside her body. "When the cops visited Cama hospital again, the doctor at casualty said his absence there could create an issue," the officer explained.

An ambulance had meanwhile arrived at the spot but it had no doctor. Another one with a doctor (connected through 108) finally arrived with a PPE kit after three hours. The umbilical cord was immediately cut and the duo was taken to the hospital.

Doctors at Cama hospital said that while the mother was mentally unstable, the baby is healthy and fine. "It was a very difficult situation. There was a heavy downpour and no help was available. There could have been a tragedy had the mother and baby not been attended to," PSI Garud said.

05 July
Day the woman delivered on the footpath

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