TAXILA: A three-member inquiry committee has cleared a medical officer from the Hassanabdal Tehsil Headquarters Hospital (THQ) of negligence leading to the delivery of a baby in an ambulance after the pregnant mother was referred to another hospital while in labour.

Mohsana Bibi, 28, recently gave birth in an ambulance around eight months into her pregnancy allegedly because of negligence by medical officer Dr Mehwish from the Hassanabdal THQ Hospital.

After the matter was reported by the print and electronic media, health authorities announced that an inquiry would be held into the matter.

The inquiry committee examined documents regarding treatment, recorded statements from Mohsana Bibi and her husband Habibullah, as well as Dr Mehwish and nurses and Rescue 1122 staff on duty, and has announced that Dr Mehwish is cleared of all charges.

THQ Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr Tahirur Rehman said the patient went into preterm labour and was referred to Holy Family Hospital in Rawalpindi as soon as she began experiencing labour pains in order to ensure the survival of the newborn, since there is no incubator facility available for premature babies at the THQ Hospital.

He said that when delivery began, the attendants urged Rescue 1122 staff to turn the ambulance around and go back to the hospital.

`There is no denying that the baby was born in the ambulance, but the delivery process was completed in the premises of the hospital with the safe hands of hospital staff, as delivery had started and it was not possible to move the patient to the labour room in such condition,` Dr Tahir said.

However, he was unable to explain why the medical officer in question was not able to determine the delivery, how the newborn baby survived without an incubator which the medical of ficer had insisted was necessary for the baby`s wellbeing, or why senior doctors from the THQ Hospital carried out the inquiry rather than senior officials from the district or regional health authorities.