115 COVID positive patients delivered baby in SMCH’s Gynecology department; “Matter of pride,” Dr. Bhaskar Gupta

On July 21, 2020, the doctors in Silchar Medical College and Hospital’s obstetrics and gynecology department encountered a new challenge. Something they were facing for the first time in their life. A mother tested positive during labour. The doctors paused, looked at each other and continued. By September 3, 2020, they have already dealt with 115 such cases.

“It is a great achievement for the department,” says Dr. Bhaskar Gupta. “Not even for a minute, the department was kept shut. This department is playing a vital role in this COVID period and without any break,” he adds.

In the last two months (July and August) the O&G department served 1,343 delivery cases. 783 were normal deliveries and out of them, 47 mothers tested positive before delivery. The doctors in the department performed 560 cesarean section deliveries. It is a process where the doctors perform surgical delivery of a baby through incisions in the abdomen and uterus. 60 COVID19 positive patients have undergone C-section deliveries in the last two months.

“The matter of pride here is that not a single healthcare worker which includes obstetricians, pediatricians, anesthetists, nurses and paramedics, janitors tested positive. They took adequate precautions and kept doing their duty. The number of cases treated is also a mark of achievement,” opined vice-principal of SMCH, Dr. Bhaskar Gupta.

Out of the 115 deliveries, 10 newborns tested positive. “Unfortunately, there were four stillbirths,” informed Gupta. Stillbirth is when a baby is born without any signs of life. A baby may have died during late pregnancy (called intrauterine death) or during labour or birth (called intrapartum death).

Two COVID positive patients in the gynecology department have died so far. One after C-Section was performed and another who had gynecological complications.

“Not only O&G, but all the departments in SMCH are also operational. The outdoor patient department is also functioning as usual. If anybody is facing medical complications, they can walk-in to SMCH at any point in time,” Dr. Bhaskar Gupta concludes.