Two incidents of women giving birth outside government hospitals within a week in Uttar Pradesh have raised concerns over maternity care and alleged denial of treatment.
The latest case was reported in Raebareli on October 4, 2026 after a video circulated on social media showing a woman delivering a baby outside the district women’s hospital. Her relative said the hospital staff demanded ₹10,000 for the delivery and that the family was unable to pay. The hospital administration has denied the charge and has conducted an inquiry.
The incident occurred just days after a similar case in Bhadohi where a 20-year-old woman gave birth outside a government hospital after her family alleged she was denied admission.
Raebareli Woman Gives Birth Outside Hospital
According to news reports, the Raebareli woman, Pratibha, had reached the district women's hospital after experiencing labour pain.
Her close relative Archana said in a video that hospital staff at the time asked the woman to keep walking and took her to the labour room a few times but did not admit her. The family also claimed that the staff were demanding ₹10,000 and asked them not to share the information about the case.
The woman did eventually deliver outside of the hospital.
The allegation has not been proven. District Women's Hospital superintendent Nirmala Sahu denied that staff demanded money and said an inquiry was initiated after the incident came to light. Security personnel were also questioned about how the woman was able to leave the hospital premises, and some security staff were reprimanded.
Bhadohi Case Happened Days Earlier
Bhadohi incident took place on September 30 night, India Today reported. Rani Vanvasi, 20, was taken to Maharaja Chet Singh Government District Hospital in Gyanpur when she was in labour. She delivered outside the hospital campus.
Her family alleged that hospital staff refused to admit her because of her Musahar status, a Dalit community. The allegation triggered public outrage after a video of the roadside delivery appeared online.
But the official account was a bit more nuanced. Bhadohi’s Chief Medical Officer said Rani was referred because her haemoglobin level was around 5 grams, indicating severe anaemia, and denied that she was refused treatment because of her caste.
💔💔💔 This video is from Raebareli. A pregnant woman had come to the district hospital for delivery. When she asked for help, the staff demanded a bribe of Rs 10,000. When she said she was poor, they pushed her out. She ended up giving birth right at the hospital gate. https://t.co/qUsf5H6nvF
— Sara (@Sara_RSara) October 4, 2026
Inquiry Finds Negligence, Action Taken
Although the caste-discrimination allegation was still disputed, an official inquiry did find negligence among hospital personnel.
The inquiry found that emergency-duty doctor Dr Pankaj Kumar failed to properly attend to the patient and his services were terminated. The salary of gynaecologist Dr Mukesh Prajapati was withheld for a month while staff nurse Neelam Maurya was transferred.
The authorities also recommended action against senior hospital officials including CMS Dr Ajay Kumar Tiwari and gynaecologist Dr Neelima Dhawan.
The inquiry also found that the labour room was locked and that some decisions were made over the telephone rather than through direct examination of the patient, reports also stated.
Two Cases Put Spotlight on Maternity Care
The incidents in Raebareli and Bhadohi have revived questions about how government hospitals handle women arriving in active labour.
While the two cases were not the same, both involved women delivering outside the hospital and these cases have resulted in allegations about negligence or denial of care.
The Raebareli investigation is still ongoing, meaning that the ₹10,000 demand remains an allegation. In Bhadohi, disciplinary action has already begun after the official finding of negligence and the family's claim of caste-based denial has been dismissed by the health authorities.
