Varanasi: The health department on Tuesday sealed a private hospital in Rustampur following the death of a pregnant woman during delivery and constituted a high-level committee to investigate the case.According to officials, Kanchan (22), a resident of the Dalit Basti in Nevda Gram Panchayat, was taken to the Chiraigaon Primary Health Centre (PHC) by a local ASHA worker after she went into labour.Doctors at the PHC identified her as a high-risk pregnancy case and referred her to the Divisional Women’s Hospital in Kabirchaura for specialised treatment.However, the ASHA worker allegedly took her to a private hospital in Rustampur instead, where her condition deteriorated during delivery. She subsequently died during treatment.The incident triggered protests by family members and local residents, who blocked a road on Monday demanding action. Police later intervened and registered a case against the doctor concerned.As part of the health department’s action, an inquiry team led by additional CMO Dr Harishchandra Maurya visited the Chiraigaon PHC and recorded the statements of doctors and health workers associated with the case.Chief medical officer Dr Mukesh Kumar said strict action would be taken against anyone found guilty of operating illegal hospitals or negligence in government health services. He added that no guilty person would be spared following the inquiry.
