Baby dies of ‘negligence’, Centre seeks report from hospitals

"We have sought a report from RML and Kalawati Saran Children's hospitals over the allegations of the baby’s family that the death occurred as the hospitals denied treatment to their child," said a senior official from the Health Ministry.

According to relatives of the parents, the child was born in a private hospital in Budh Vihar on Sunday, but doctors informed them that he had respiratory problems and needed to be kept on ventilator for 48 hours.

As his parents could not afford treatment at a private hospital, they took the baby to Kalawati Saran Children's Hospital and RML Hospital. Both refused treatment to the infant, citing non-availability of bed and ventilator. They, then, took the child to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital (LNJP) where he was declared dead before the treatment could be given.

Following the Ministry's directive, RML Hospital has constituted a three-member committee, comprising two doctors from the paediatric department and its Deputy Labour Welfare Commissioner, to probe the matter. A report is likely to be submitted in a day or two. "The Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr AK Gadpayle today summoned the head of the paediatric department and also the senior resident doctor who was on duty at 12:10 pm yesterday when the incident happened. Also the in-charges of Casualty and Emergency have been questioned by the MS in this regard," said a senior doctor at the hospital, and confirmed that the Health Ministry has sought a report from the MS. 

Authorities at Kalawati Saran Children Hospital, however, refused to comment on the issue. 

The child's father, Dheeraj Kumar, had spent Rs 30,000, and could not afford another Rs 10,000 for the ventilator, said Bhuvnesh Kumar, a relative. They, then, <g data-gr-id="37">dialed</g> 102 and called CATS ambulance to shift him to a government hospital.

The baby was first taken to Kalawati Saran Children's Hospital, but it refused admission and treatment, saying that there was no bed or ventilator available there.

The newborn was then moved to RML Hospital but they also refused treatment citing the same reason. The child was finally taken to LNJP, his parents said. "When we reached LNJP, they told us that they do not have portable oxygen cylinder. After repeated requests... doctors tried to lift the baby from the ambulance to admit in <g data-gr-id="44">emergency</g> ward. As they took him off from the ambulance, the baby died. He died due to <g data-gr-id="43">lax</g> attitude of government hospitals," Sharma alleged.

Delhi Heath Minister <g data-gr-id="40">Satyendar</g> Jain put the blame on the Centre, saying Kalawati and RML hospitals come under the Union government. "The baby was taken to Kalawati and RML hospitals. Both the hospitals come under <g data-gr-id="49">central</g> government. He was then taken to LJNP where doctors immediately started the treatment but unfortunately baby could not be saved," he said.