In 12 hours, 4 of 7 newborns die at Bijnor district hospital, 3 critical

BIJNOR: Four out of seven babies, who were delivered at Bijnor district women’s hospital, died in a span of 12 hours between Monday night and Tuesday morning. The parents of these newborns protested against the hospital authorities and accused the doctors of negligence. The agitators also claimed that the hospital staff had extracted Rs 2,000 for each delivery. Sources said that the remaining three infants are also critical and have been quietly referred to a private hospital for further treatment. Meanwhile, the district magistrate has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

According to the hospital records, babies of Rubina from Kaziwala village, Nazima from Goeli village, Ansul from Jalalpur village and Kiran from Mandawali Saidu village, died here between Monday night and Tuesday morning. Mohammad Sajid, Rubina’s husband, said, “I brought my wife here on Saturday. According to the doctors, everything was normal. Later, however, they said that she would need a surgery. I agreed to that, but the operation was unnecessarily delayed and was performed only on Monday evening. I would have become a father for the first time had my child survived.”

Nazima’s husband Nabeel Ahmed said, “I had taken my wife to the hospital on Friday. The staff there took Rs 2,000 from me, but the doctors did not attend to my wife even when she was crying from severe pain. Hours after she delivered a baby, the doctors told us that he had died.”

Mandodari Devi, who delivered a baby at the hospital on Monday evening, told TOI that her child was serious and was referred to a private medical facility for treatment. “The doctors at the district hospital just didn’t pay attention to my baby. Later, they came and told me that the infant is critical and needs to be shifted to another hospital,” she said.

Asked about these deaths, Dr Aabha Verma, chief medical superintendent of the district women’s hospital, said, “The hospital staff is not at fault. Two of the infants were stillborn. Their families were told that. In the other two cases, the deliveries were normal but the babies were too weak and did not survive. ”

District magistrate Jagat Raj said, “Four infants have died and it is a serious issue. I have set up an inquiry in this matter. The chief medical officer and the additional district magistrate will look into these deaths. If anyone is found at fault, strict action will be taken against him.”>