Fortis hospital doctors leave a gauze inside woman’s stomach post her caesarian section

Noida: In a case of shocking and grave negligence a large piece of cotton gauze was recovered from a woman’s abdomen six months after she underwent a caesarean section at a leading private hospital, Fortis in Noida-Sector 62. In this major case of carelessness the Fortis hospital staff left the gauze inside the 33-yr-old Namrata Bhargav’s stomach on 22 December, 2013. After a recent test conducted it gauze, as big as a hand towel, caused severe infection and damage to her intestinal wall. The last six months have been extremely difficult for Namrata, she complained of excruciating aches and vomited very often after three days of being discharged from the hospital. Mother to a new born boy, Namrata has been unable to enjoy motherhood or even provide care to her son, instead of spending time with her six-month-old child she has been doing the rounds of the hospitals, clinics undergoing rigorous medical tests post her surgery. Namrata Bhargav has been unable to breastfeed her infant son owing to chronic abdominal pain and risk of infection. While the gauze was finally removed at Max Hospital in Saket, New Delhi on June 30, the woman remains under constant observation. Her legs and hands have swollen due to infection and according to doctors she will be kept under observation for the next few days. As per the sources, the Bhargav family has alleged that despite them informing Fortis Hospital officials about the negligence, they paid no heed. Namrata's family has so far spent around Rs. 5 lakh on her treatment. When Daily Bhaskar spoke to the Media Coordinator of Fortis, a statement was issued on behalf of the hospital saying that a committee has been setup to initiate an investigation into the matter. The doctors were not available for any further comments on the matter. Reports had surged that the family of Namrata had lodged a complaint with the Saket Police Station, when we contacted the SHO Ranbir Singh he said, “ No complaint has been registered by the family, the matter does not fall under the jurisdiction of Saket Police Station. The incident took place in Noida Sector-62 and thus the complaint needs to be registered with the police station under which the area falls.” Daily Bhaskar also contacted SHO Charan Singh Sharma of Sector 58 Noida, he said, “The family of Namrata Bhargav has not registered any complaint with the police station, if they do we will look into the matter.”