Beijing:
A family in a south China city is seeking a hefty compensation from a doctor, who they allege had put off a surgery to deliver a baby to avoid the birth from coinciding with an 'inauspicious' day, resulting in her death.
Health officials are investigating the allegations that the doctor had delayed the surgery by a day to make sure it does not fall on the inauspicious 'Ghost Festival'.
The family claim doctor Zeng Yuanna at the People's Hospital in Yangjiang City of the Guangdong Province refused to operate on August 13 as that date was the Ghost Festival in the Chinese lunar calendar even though the woman had requested a caesarean section.
The hospital, however, said it was the family who insisted on postponing the surgery by a day, fearing the day could be unlucky for the baby, Shanghai Daily reported.
Li Xiaoqin, aged 32, showed signs of labour on August 12.
On the evening of August 13, Li requested a caesarean.
But the doctor asked her to delay surgery as operating on the Ghost Festival brings bad luck, claimed the family.
Later, when nurses prepared Li for surgery at 6 am on August 14, they could not hear the baby's heartbeat.
The baby was born in a critical condition and died three days later.
The family is demanding two million yuan (USD 313,000) in compensation.
The Ghost Festival is held on the 15th night of the seventh lunar month in much of China, and on the 14th night in southern China.
Health officials are investigating the allegations that the doctor had delayed the surgery by a day to make sure it does not fall on the inauspicious 'Ghost Festival'.
The family claim doctor Zeng Yuanna at the People's Hospital in Yangjiang City of the Guangdong Province refused to operate on August 13 as that date was the Ghost Festival in the Chinese lunar calendar even though the woman had requested a caesarean section.
The hospital, however, said it was the family who insisted on postponing the surgery by a day, fearing the day could be unlucky for the baby, Shanghai Daily reported.
Li Xiaoqin, aged 32, showed signs of labour on August 12.
On the evening of August 13, Li requested a caesarean.
But the doctor asked her to delay surgery as operating on the Ghost Festival brings bad luck, claimed the family.
Later, when nurses prepared Li for surgery at 6 am on August 14, they could not hear the baby's heartbeat.
The baby was born in a critical condition and died three days later.
The family is demanding two million yuan (USD 313,000) in compensation.
The Ghost Festival is held on the 15th night of the seventh lunar month in much of China, and on the 14th night in southern China.
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