NHRC notice to Har Govt after woman delivers baby on road

National Human Rights Commission has sought an explanation from Haryana Health department after a pregnant woman was allegedly forced to deliver her baby on the road outside a Public Health Centre in Fatehbad district.
The NHRC issued a notice to the Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare calling for a report within four weeks.
Taking a suo motu cognizance of a media report which alleged insensitive attitude of staff at Public Health Centre (PHC) in Kulan area of Fatehabad district in Haryana forced a poor woman to deliver baby on the road outside the delivery hut of the PHC.
The woman and her new-born child spent night on the road and it was only in the morning the PHC admitted them.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of the victim woman and her baby, a statement from rights body said.
Reportedly, the woman was taken to the PHC at around 11 pm on June one but her relatives found the door of the delivery hut of the PHC bolted from inside.

They knocked the door for more than an hour but no one opened it. The staff was reportedly sleeping inside the delivery hut and there was no doctor on duty.
The Haryana government has set up delivery huts in PHCs to promote clean and safe delivery practices in rural areas.

Auxiliary Nurse Midwifery (ANM) and other staff is required to be present on duty round the clock at these delivery huts.