KARACHI: A controversy has emerged at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) in Karachi after a woman patient and her family alleged that she delivered a baby inside a hospital washroom due to alleged negligence and delayed medical attention by staff.
According to the family, the woman had to wait for nearly four hours in the gynecology emergency unit before giving birth. They claimed that due to the delay and lack of timely care, the delivery took place in a washroom, where female relatives reportedly assisted her during the process. Videos circulating on social media also show the woman describing the incident, along with visuals of a washroom claimed to be the site of the delivery.
However, the JPMC’s administration has strongly rejected these claims, stating that the delivery took place in the labor room and not in a washroom. In an official statement, the Karachi hospital spokesperson termed the allegations “baseless and misleading.”
According to the JPMC spokesperson, the patient, Nadia wife of Akram, was promptly attended to upon arrival at the gynecology emergency department. A clinical assessment was carried out, after which the medical team decided to proceed with a normal delivery in the best interest of the patient’s health. The hospital stated that a healthy baby was delivered at 2:50 AM inside the labor room.
The administration further clarified that the patient had certain high-risk medical conditions, including low platelet count and abnormal laboratory findings, which required close monitoring. Despite this, the hospital said, the patient’s attendants later took her home against medical advice.
The spokesperson also noted that the emergency department was dealing with multiple critical cases throughout the night, including surgeries and blood transfusions.
Following the controversy, the Executive Director of JPMC has ordered the formation of an inquiry committee to investigate all aspects of the incident and determine the facts. The committee’s findings will guide further action.
