Hriday Shah
The Bombay High Court has established an eight-member committee to conduct a social audit of thirty maternity homes operated by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). This decision follows the tragic death of a pregnant woman, who allegedly underwent surgery under mobile flashlight due to inadequate infrastructure at a municipal maternity home.
A bench comprising Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale formed the committee after receiving recommendations from the petitioner, who raised concerns about the poor state of public healthcare facilities. Of the eight members, six were selected based on the petitioner’s suggestions, while the remaining two—one from JJ Hospital and another from Nair Hospital—were nominated by the BMC.
The case was initiated by Khusruddin Ansari, the husband of the deceased woman, who approached the court seeking compensation and an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his wife’s death. His wife, Shaheedunissa, was allegedly operated on under a mobile flashlight at Sushma Swaraj Maternity Home in Bhandup due to power outages and lack of backup electricity. The baby did not survive, and Shaheedunissa succumbed to her condition hours later at Sion Hospital.
Ansari claimed that despite repeated requests, he was denied access to his wife’s medical records, violating medical ethics regulations that mandate their release within 72 hours. His petition emphasized that throughout the pregnancy, both mother and child had been in good health. On April 29, Shaheedunissa was admitted at 8:20 AM but was not taken for surgery until 10:30 PM, during which the hospital experienced multiple power failures. Following the operation, the newborn was declared dead, and Shaheedunissa was transferred to Sion Hospital, where she passed away at 1:30 AM.
Ansari has prayed a thorough and time-bound investigation by the Bhandup police and appropriate compensation for the wrongful loss of his wife and child.