Probe panel fails to submit report months after mother's death

By Laxmi Chaudhary, Janakpurdham, July 26: Eight weeks after the death of postpartum mother Anjina Yadav during treatment at the Provincial Hospital under the Madhes Institute of Health Sciences in Janakpurdham, the high-level committee formed to investigate the incident has yet to make its report public.

The committee, which had been tasked with submitting its findings within seven days, repeatedly extended its deadline, raising concerns over the impartiality and transparency of the investigation.

On May 23, a meeting chaired by the then Minister for Health and Population of Madhesh Province, Jangi Lal Rai, decided to launch a high-level inquiry into the incident.  Accordingly, a five-member committee led by obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr. Indrajit Rajak was formed on May 25. 

Although it was instructed to submit its report within seven days, the deadline was extended several times after the committee failed to complete its work on schedule.

Speaking on Tuesday, committee coordinator Dr. Rajak said the report had already been submitted to the Ministry of Health and Population three days earlier.

“We have already handed over the report to the ministry. Any further information should be obtained from the ministry,” he said, declining to disclose its contents.

Asked why the committee had failed to submit the report within the stipulated time, Dr. Rajak said internal issues within the committee had delayed the process but did not elaborate.

Despite the committee’s claim that it has submitted the report, the ministry has yet to make it public. This has intensified questions over why the findings remain undisclosed even after an eight-week investigation.

According to Dr. Pramod Kumar Yadav, secretary at the Ministry of Health and Population, Madhes Province, the committee had sought additional time because of public holidays, a shortage of staff, the need to collect further evidence, review documents and consult stakeholders.

Although he said the report was in its final stage, he did not specify when it would be released. “Even if the report reaches the ministry, we will only be able to provide you with information after a week,” he said. 

He also noted that maternal deaths had been increasing in other hospitals and stressed the need to pay attention to those cases as well.

The victim’s family, however, has described the continued delay in releasing the report as suspicious.

Radheshyam Yadav, the husband of the deceased, said he had repeatedly approached the ministry and other concerned authorities but had received no clear explanation as to why the report had not been made public.

“It seems only those with power and influence are heard,” he said. “Ministers change almost every month. Which minister should we now approach to seek justice? We have not even been informed why the report has been withheld.”

Following the incident, the hospital administration and the victim's family had agreed that the doctors involved in the surgery would be suspended until the investigation was completed.

The family accused Dr. Dhirendra Sah and Dr. Shreya Laxmi Sah of negligence and demanded their suspension and legal action. 

However, eight weeks later, no clear administrative action has been taken against them.

According to the family, both doctors continue to work at the hospital. The hospital administration, however, claims that the doctors have neither reported for duty nor been present at the hospital.

Twenty-six-year-old Anjina Yadav, a local of Janakpurdham Sub-metropolitan City-12, was admitted to the hospital on May 18 after going into labour.

Following an emergency Caesarean section, doctors reportedly performed a second operation to remove her uterus due to excessive bleeding after the baby was delivered. 

Her family alleges that her condition deteriorated further and that she died during the surgical procedure.