The Delhi High Court, Image credit: PTI
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court criticised the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital (LNJP) for delaying the examination of a pregnant woman whose foetus was suffering from a cerebral anomaly. She was 33 weeks pregnant and sought a termination.
The court on Friday asked the medical board to examine the woman. When she arrived at the hospital on Monday at 9 am, she was made to wait. "She has been there since 9 am. It is 10:30 am. Who is the doctor concerned who made her wait," asked Justice Prathiba M. Singh. The high court had directed LNJP to submit a report on Monday.
The counsel for the hospital said they wanted a neurologist present during the review because the pregnancy is in its advanced stages. The court further asked why the MRI wasn't done on Monday morning itself. The medical board cited administrative reasons and election duty.
Justice Prathiba said the reason was "suspicious" and asked the review should be done by 1 PM. If the doctors did not do it, they were asked to be before the court by 2.30 PM. The advanced gestational age of the foetus is a complication in the matter.
The petitioner is a 26-year-old married woman whose periodic ultrasounds did not reveal any abnormalities. On November 11, the brain anomaly was found first and confirmed three days later. When she approached the GTB hospital, the request for termination was made subject to judicial intervention.