Some health workers including a doctor suspended, investigation committee formed
MORANG, Jan 20: There was a huge outcry in the Mukhiya family after doctors announced their newborn baby dead. The condition of the mother who birthed the baby was beyond imagination.
On Wednesday, Dr Akash Yadav of Koshi Hospital's emergency room declared the sick baby dead, causing a huge uproar in the family of the baby.
After the 18-day-old girl infant did not move, her mother Uma Mukhiya rushed her to the emergency room of Koshi Hospital in Biratnagar on Wednesday morning. After Mukhiya of Morang Jahada Rural Municipality-3, Bhathigachh brought her baby to the emergency room for treatment, Dr Akash Yadav who was on duty declared the baby dead upon check-up.
A ‘dead' man wakes to die again
Mukhiya gave birth to a daughter weighing 1.4 kg through normal delivery on 1st of January. Mukhiya, residing in Jahada, said that she had been living at her maternal home in Biratnagar-8, after delivery. Uma said, "My husband Dilip Mukhiya is an ambulance driver. He and I brought the baby to Koshi Hospital. The doctor who was there told us that our baby had died and asked us to take her back home after the examination.”
“I cried my heart out as the doctor declared the baby dead and I only remember my husband holding me. I have no idea what happened after,” Uma said, “The baby is not dead, why are you crying? Here the baby is moving its body while crying. Family members started saying to take the baby to the hospital immediately. She was admitted to the Golden Hospital at Hospital Chowk for treatment.”
Narrating how his wife and family members started crying after the doctor said that the baby was dead, Dilip, the baby’s father said, “I found it natural for my wife to cry upon hearing the baby’s news. Sister-in-law carried the baby out. There was no reason to keep her there after being declared lifeless by the doctor, so we brought the child home for the rites to be performed after death.”
Dilip, along with all the other family members, was left shocked when the baby suddenly cried, when they were busy preparing for her cremation. Dilip said, "The entire atmosphere silenced when my daughter started moving her arms and legs. We hurriedly took her to Golden Hospital, a private hospital near Koshi Hospital, and she is currently being treated in the NICU.”
“Could there be any greater negligence? What treatment could these doctors possibly do? Stating that the government hospital has become infamous due to such negligence, a visibly angry Dilip said, "Who will take action against the doctor who declares the living dead?" How many such incidents might have happened here? Last night (Tuesday) the baby was fed by the mother. She was brought to Koshi Hospital after she did not move when we tried to feed her on Wednesday morning.
Doctor Akash Yadav, who declared the non-dead infant dead, was injured when beaten up by the angry mob.
After the incident, the hospital administration has suspended three health workers including doctor Yadav from Koshi Hospital in Biratnagar.
Ram Prasad Nepal, information officer of the hospital, said that doctor Akash Yadav, Auxiliary Health Workers (AHWs) Laxman Majhi and Tika Bhandari who were on duty in the hospital's emergency room on Wednesday were prohibited from working. According to Nepal, a 3-member investigation committee has been formed.
The investigation committee has been formed under the leadership of the hospital's pediatrician Dr Praveen Jha, along with pediatrician Dr Suryakant Chaudhary and the hospital's information officer Ram Prasad Nepal and the work has started.
According to Information Officer Nepal, the investigation committee has started its work to find out the truth of the incident and will submit a report within seven days. He said that action will be taken if negligence on the part of doctors and health workers is found during the investigation.
