FAISALABAD: A woman gave birth to a baby boy in a Rescue 1122 ambulance after being referred by the doctors at Tandliawala Tehsil Headquarters Hospital to the Allied (DHQ) Hospital reportedly for blood transfusion.

However, the woman’s family alleged they were turned away by the THQ hospital doctors after being told that the facility did not offer normal child delivery services on Saturday.

After the news was flashed by some TV channels, Deputy Commissioner Salman Ghani ordered Tandlianwala assistant commissioner and healthcare authority officials to probe the matter.

According to hospital staff, Shazia Bibi, 35, wife of Ayub, a resident of Chak 429-GB, was brought to the facility for child delivery. After being admitted to the hospital she was examined by a lady doctor who found her blood hemoglobin level low (7.6).

The doctor referred Shazia to the Allied District Headquarters Hospital, Faisalabad, for blood transfusion as the THQ hospital had no blood bank for emergency cases.

While Shazia was being shifted to the DHQ hospital in a Rescue 1122 ambulance, she gave birth to a bay boy.

On the other hand, Shazia’s family said the lady doctor at the THQ hospital referred her to the DHQ hospital stating that they could not admit women to the facility for normal delivery.

Following the direction, the family said a Rescue 1122 ambulance was called to shift Shazia to DHQ hospital. She gave birth while the ambulance was on its way to Faisalabad, they said.

However, The THQ hospital admission chart (a copy available with Dawn) showed Shazia was anemic (red cells deficiency).

District government spokesman Subhan Ali said the DC had ordered a probe into the issue and Shazia’s medical treatment was being ensured.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2017