Pokhara, November 4

Kin of a woman who died in Gandaki Medical College of Pokhara yesterday following a cesarean delivery picketed the hospital today blaming her death on negligence of the doctors. The irate relatives demonstrated in front of the hospital almost the entire day today. They also clashed with police following which two demonstrators were arrested.

Gita Aryal, 19, of Syangja, Arjun Chaupari-1 died in the hospital on yesterday morning, six days after she was admitted to the hospital after she went through labour pain. The newborn is alive. “She looked fine after the delivery and could walk. Apparently the doctors murdered her by showing negligence during treatment,” said the deceased’s brother Rajan Aryal, adding they won’t receive the body until action was taken against the ‘killer’ doctors of the hospital.

“If people die like this while undergoing normal operation, what will happen in serious cases?” he said. The deceased’s kin have also filed a complaint with the district administration office of Kaski today seeking punishment against the guilty. In view of possible escalation of tension, police have been deployed at the hospital.

A team of doctors led by Dr Tika Gurung had operated on the woman last Saturday. The patient had had a breathing problem following the operation.

“As the patient’s condition worsened, we started treatment keeping her in ventilator, but to no avail,” said Dr Chandika Pandit, gynaecologist at the hospital.