Opposition walks out of Maharashtra assembly over deaths of 3 women in hospitals

Nagpur: Members of the ruling alliance targeted the Maharashtra health department on Wednesday after opposition legislators in the assembly claimed three women died due to lack of proper treatment in state-run hospitals.

The opposition members later staged a walkout from the House during the ongoing winter session of the state legislature, saying they were not satisfied with the reply of Health Minister Tanaji Sawant in the matter.

During the question hour, Congress MLA Varsha Gaikwad raised the issue of death of two women from Gadchiroli district, and another woman from Buldhana who was shifted to Akola for pregnancy-related complications.

During the discussion, Sanjay Gaikwad (belonging to the ruling Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde) and Yogesh Sagar of BJP came down heavily on the health department.

Sagar said a pregnant woman, named Vidya Gawande, was brought to a Buldhana-based government hospital for treatment.

"The information revealed the foetus had died, still she was kept in the hospital for long and later referred to a hospital in Akola. This is highly unprofessional, and she should not have been referred to the Akola hospital. It finally led to her death,” he said.

Sanjay Gaikwad said the same health officials who are responsible for the death of patients are asked to conduct probe into such incidents.

"This will never improve the health department's functioning,” he said.

Health Minister Sawant, who also belongs to the Shiv Sena, said, “I will appoint an additional chief secretary (ACS) to conduct a probe into the death of the three women. I will give a deadline of 15 days to the ACS to submit the report.”

However, the ruling alliance members as well as opposition leaders said the minister's reply was not satisfactory.

Leader of opposition in the assembly Vijay Wadettiwar said, “This way of functioning of the health ministry is unacceptable. People are dying but there seems to be no seriousness from the government's side. We condemn it."

The opposition members then walked out of the House.

Later, talking to reporters in the Vidhan Bhavan premises, Wadettiwar said when the opposition members demanded an inquiry into the matter, the speaker suggested for setting up of an inquiry committee.

"It seems like the ministers are being shielded," the Congress leader claimed.

He said just appointing an inquiry committee was not enough and demanded a detailed probe into the matter as well as action against the doctors concerned.

Wadettiwar said he also demanded resignation of the health minister on the issue in the House and staged a walkout due to the "dictatorial attitude" of the speaker.

He claimed women and children were dying in government hospitals in various parts of the state due to negligence.

"Looking at all this, it seems like the health department is on saline," he said.

Talking to reporters, former health minister Rajesh Tope (from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP) raised the issue of death of the pregnant woman, who was shifted to Akola from the Buldhana hospital.

He said that the patient was suffering from dengue and claimed there was lack of proper treatment to her and negligence.

Tope said the minister concerned should have taken action against those guilty in the matter.

Since the government did not take action, the entire opposition staged a walkout from the assembly, he said.