A heartbreaking case of alleged medical negligence has emerged from Hyderabad, where a woman and her newborn baby lost their lives at a Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Balanagar on Saturday, May 31. The woman, identified as Aruna, was reportedly attended by an auxiliary midwife nurse (ANM) instead of a certified gynecologist during her delivery. According to the family, complications arose immediately after birth when the newborn was found unresponsive. The hospital staff recommended shifting the baby to Niloufer Hospital for specialized treatment, but the child was declared dead on arrival.

Aruna’s condition began to deteriorate shortly after the delivery. She was referred to Gandhi Hospital for further medical attention. Unfortunately, she too passed away while being transported. The family has strongly alleged that the absence of a qualified gynecologist played a critical role in both deaths, claiming that timely intervention from an experienced doctor could have saved both mother and child. Their grief was compounded by what they describe as a careless and unprepared response by the PHC staff.

The Balanagar police have taken cognizance of the incident and registered a case under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Balanagar Circle Inspector, Narsimha Raju, confirmed that a postmortem was conducted and the bodies were handed over to Aruna’s husband. The case has sparked local outrage, with residents and activists demanding an inquiry into the functioning of government healthcare centers, particularly in under-resourced areas. As questions mount over accountability and staffing at PHCs, this tragedy underscores the urgent need to strengthen rural and semi-urban maternal healthcare infrastructure in Telangana.