Newborn Now In A Nursing Home, Fighting For Life
DurgeshNandan.Jha @timesgroup.comNewDelhi:In a shocking case of negligence, doctors at Max Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, declared a baby dead, along with his stillborn twin, on Thursday when the child was still alive.
The hospital packed the boy’s body in a polythene bag and handed it over to his relatives who were taking it to the cremation ground when some movement inside the bag alerted them.
The baby has been admitted to a nursing home but his grandfather said his chances of survival were slim.
Max Hospital said they have begun a “detailed inquiry” and sent the doctor involved in the child’s delivery on forced leave.
Baby case: Doctor asked to go on leave
I was holding the child’s ‘body’. It moved a little. When we opened the bag, the child was breathing. We immediately rushed him to a local nursing home,” Praveen Mallik, the child’s grandfather, told TOI. The other twin, a girl, was stillborn. Mallik said the baby boy has been admitted to a nursing home in west Delhi.
“The child is alive but critical. Chances of his survival are slim,” he added. Delhi police have registered an FIR and the Delhi government has ordered an inquiry. “It is very unfortunate. I have directed the Delhi government to look into the matter and take necessary action,” Union health minister J P Nadda said.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted saying: “Enquiry ordered. Strongest action wud (sic) be taken if found guilty.”
“It has been brought to our attention that a premature (22 weeks) newborn baby, who is reported to be on life support at a nursing home, was unfortunately handed over without any sign of life by Max Hospital Shalimar Bagh. This baby was one of the twins delivered on November 30 morning. The other baby was stillborn. We are shaken and concerned at this rare incident. We have initiated an enquiry, pending which, the concerned doctor has been asked to proceed on leave immediately. We are in constant touch with the parents and are providing all the needed support,” the statement said. The mother of the twins, sources said, is still in Max Hospital and her condition is stable.
“We will keep protesting till we get justice. The hospital’s licence should be cancelled and the doctor who declared my nephew dead should be jailed,”said Deepak Bidawat, the child’s uncle. Delhi police spokesperson Dependra Pathak said they are filing an FIR and an investigation has been initiated.
Max Healthcare said the doctor responsible for the blunder had been sent on leave.
In a statement, the hospital said the “22-week premature baby” was handed over without any sign of life. “We are shaken and concerned at this rare incident. We have initiated a detailed enquiry, pending which, the concerned doctor has been asked to proceed on leave immediately. We are in constant touch with the parents and are providing all the needed support,” said the statement.
Last month, the parents of a seven-year-old girl who died of dengue after a fortnight at Gurgaon’s Fortis hospital alleged that they were allowed to take their child’s body only after they paid a Rs. 18 lakh bill that allegedly included the cost of 2,700 gloves. The charge is being investigated by the government.
December 3, 2017 at 5:53 pm
The incident reflects apathy of hospital. This must be investigated and the hospital staff must be booked