Hospital chief and doctor suspended over suicide of pregnant woman

The chief of the Suide branch of the Yulin No.1 Hospital in Shaanxi Province, as well as the obstetrics and gynecology director, have been suspended from their duties, the city’s Health And Family Planning Bureau announced on September 10 after an investigation into an expectant mother leaping to her death at the hospital on August 31.

According to a special investigation team organized by the bureau and the city’s public security department, the delivery room structure of the hospital meets security and fire requirements.

Test results for the pregnant women were in line with natural delivery indications. The hospital also went through the proper procedures of informing family members and obtaining signatures. The facility’s emergency department took measures in line with current norms after the woman jumped from the building, as the investigation showed.

However, the investigation team pointed out some oversights and urged the hospital to improve its management. They said hospital staff failed to cope adequately with the emergency and lacked communication with the pregnant woman prior to her death.