Chandigarh, The Haryana Human Rights Commission has sought reports from the concerned authorities after a woman allegedly delivered a baby under torchlight in the open parking space outside the government primary health centre in Sector 3, Ballabhgarh, Faridabad.Haryana rights body seeks reports on woman delivering baby outside Faridabad hospitalThe Commission has treated the matter as an "extremely sensitive" case relating to human dignity, right to life, and access to emergency healthcare services, officials said.Considering the seriousness and sensitivity of the allegation, Justice Lalit Batra, chairperson of the rights body, has directed the authorities concerned to submit detailed reports before it.According to the complaint and newspaper reports placed before the Commission, the woman suffering from labour pain was taken to the government hospital in Ballabhgarh on the intervening night of May 15-16.According to the rights body's order dated May 25, the material placed on record before it alleged medical negligence and administrative failure as the woman had to deliver a child in the open parking area outside the hospital."The circumstances painfully remind one of primitive times when deliveries were conducted at home in the absence of proper medical facilities, institutional care and professional support," the order said.Upon reaching the hospital, those accompanying the woman allegedly found its main gate closed and no immediate medical assistance available in the emergency ward, the material placed before the Commission said.It was also alleged that despite repeated efforts by the family members, no timely medical care was extended to the patient, compelling the attendants to conduct the delivery in the parking area outside the hospital.According to the Commission, the newspaper reports indicated that the delivery and related medical procedures were allegedly carried out under torchlight and in full public view.It was also reported that the attendants had to arrange a wheelchair and wait for a considerable time before hospital staff reached the spot."This Commission cannot overlook the grim situation emerging from the allegations raised in the complaint and newspaper reports," the order said."The Commission finds it a glaring, pathetic situation that on the one hand, the state of Haryana claims full implementation of the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram , which ensures free and cashless delivery services in all public health institutions, but on the other hand, a pregnant woman, despite reaching the doorstep of a government hospital, could not access the labour room or emergency obstetric care in time and was ultimately compelled to deliver the child outside the hospital premises," the order said.The allegations, if found true, prima facie reveal an alarming state of affairs and lead to an irresistible inference that the tall assertions regarding the adequacy and efficiency of public healthcare infrastructure pale into insignificance when a pregnant woman in active labour allegedly remains deprived of immediate institutional medical assistance, it added."Prima facie, such circumstances raise serious concerns regarding accessibility and availability of emergency maternal healthcare services in government hospitals. The allegations directly concern the right to life, dignity, health and emergency medical care guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution," it said."The matter has raised important issues concerning the availability of doctors and nursing staff during emergency/night hours; functioning and accessibility of emergency entry systems; adequacy of emergency maternal healthcare services; accountability of medical and administrative authorities; and protection of dignity and privacy of women patients," it said.The rights body has directed the authorities concerned to submit detailed reports before it.The additional chief secretary, health and family welfare, has been directed to share a policy and mechanism for ensuring round-the-clock emergency maternal healthcare at government hospitals; action taken after the present incident; and corrective measures proposed to prevent recurrence of such incidents.The director general of health services will indicate the availability of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff during emergency/night hours at the concerned hospital; whether emergency obstetric care protocols were duly followed; and details of any inquiry/action initiated in the matter, the rights body said.The civil surgeon in Faridabad has been directed to clarify why the woman was deprived of benefits under the JSSK and why compensation should not be recommended for the serious violation of human dignity and human rights.The concerned authorities have been directed to submit their reports at least one week prior to the next date of hearing on August 19.This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.