Sabita Sunuwar, 28, wife of Dambar Bahadur Baraili of Dura, Likhu Tamakoshi Rural Municipality-1 died on April 16, 2024 due to unsafe delivery at home.
According to Ward Chairperson Pradeep Tamang, Sunuwar’s family forced her to give birth at home despite the presence of a health post nearby. It is reported that she delivered her baby at four in the morning and later fainted due to severe bleeding. Subsequently, the health workers were informed around 7:00 am but she had already passed away by the time they reached her home.
The woman was getting regular check-ups at the local health post during her pregnancy and because of some health issues she was suggested to go to Manthali or Ramechhap hospital for delivery. However, she had to lose her life due to her family’s negligence by giving birth at home. Ward Chairperson Tamang stated that her life would have been saved at least if she was brought to the health post. He added that as such a case has occurred in many years in the Rural Municipality.
Tamang further mentioned that the Rural Municipality is forming a committee which will look into why the family didn’t seek help during the delivery and why they didn’t go to the health post. The committee aims to prevent similar incidents in the future.
According to Suman Moktan of the District Public Health Office, this is the first incident in the last three years where a woman has died due to severe bleeding.