Who killed Nadia Quazi? A reminder of Bhatkal’s failed healthcare system

Bhatkallys News Bureau / Muaz Shabandri & Ismail Zaorez Bhatkal, 20 February, 2018: A grieving father and four children watched helplessly as relatives and close family lifted the dead body of Nadia Quazi from her home in Bhatkal. Nadia’s name is the latest to join a long list of people who have died in Bhatkal owing to lack of critical health care facilities in Bhatkal. “It is not a case of medical negligence but an unfortunate medical mishap,” says Dr Vinita Nayak who attended to Nadia’s delivery at Bhatkal’s Welfare Hospital. Nadia succumbed to medical complications during child-birth. Hundreds of people from all over Bhatkal thronged the house as whispers of sympathy and grief made their way through the crowds. Social activist Nazeer Kashimji who was with Nadia's family throughout the case blamed her death on the lack of a blood bank in Bhatkal. “We couldn’t arrange enough blood to save Nadia because there is no blood bank in Bhatkal taluka,” says Nazeer. Critical care cases are routinely transferred to hospitals with better facilities away from Bhatkal. The lack of a dedicated blood bank with blood transfusion facilities at the local government hospital has severely limited the ability of private hospitals to deliver critical care and blood transfusion during emergencies. “Blood banks are sanctioned only in places where the demand for blood units is high. It is unlikely that Bhatkal will get a blood bank because there aren’t many hospitals or surgeons in and around Bhatkal.” The unfortunate death of Nadia points towards a complex web of failures with fingers pointed at one another. Bhatkallys.com contacted local health officials who confirmed the unavailability of blood units at the Bhatkal Government Hospital. Dr. Dinakaran, Administrative Medical Officer at Bhatkal Government Hospital said, “Private hospitals in Bhatkal have never contacted us with any request for blood units and we do not see a demand. Blood storage relies on demand and supply. Our gynaecologist is on leave and we did not have a reason to store blood units.” He also confirmed the preference of private hospitals in Bhatkal to source blood units from Kundapur when required. “We can’t simply store blood and dispose when it’s not used. It will just be a waste of resources. If hospitals can confirm their requirements ‘well in advance’ then we can order it and have it stored for them”. According to Dr. Vinita at Bhatkal’s Welfare Hosptital, Nadia was admitted to the hospital on the evening of February 18th following minor blood loss. “The patient complained of minor bleeding and that’s when she was admitted. She was expected to deliver in the first week of March but she had to undergo an immediate C-section due to the continued bleeding. We knew blood transfusion was required to replenish the blood loss but couldn’t do it as her condition had not stabilised. She had to be rushed to Kundapur for further treatment.” Nadia was rushed to Manipal Hospital after delivering a baby boy in Bhatkal. She breathed her last after undergoing a surgery at the Manipal Hospital where she allegedly suffered a cardiac arrest. Bhatkallys.com extends its condolences to the family of Nadia Quazi and hopes her death will remind local authorities and hospitals of their collective failure to save lives. -www.bhatkallys.com