Turned away by health centre, woman gives birth at tea-stall

Lucknow, Oct 9 (IANS) After a pregnant woman was turned away from a community health centre (CHC) in the Uttar Pradesh capital, she was forced to give birth at a tea stall, officials said.

Tej Kumari was brought to the CHC in the Mall village on the outskirts of Lucknow in an advanced stage of pregnancy midnight Wednesday, the officials said.

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However, Kumari was declined admission in the CHC as her family refused to pay a bribe to the medical staff at the CHC, the officials added.

Later, as Kumari was being taken away by her family members on a hand-cart she started having labour pain. She was taken to a nearby tea stall where she gave birth to a baby boy, the officials said.

An inquiry has been initiated in the case and a nurse and a midwife have been suspended, the officials added.

'Stern action would be taken against the medical staff who compelled the woman to give birth at a tea stall,' A.K. Shukla, chief medical officer (CMO), told IANS.