The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Maharashtra government over reports of a high number of infant deaths at a women's hospital in Akola district during 2016-17
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Maharashtra government over reports of a high number of infant deaths at a women's hospital in Akola district during 2016-17.
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The rights panel has sent the notice to the chief secretary of the state and asked the government to respond to the reported allegations within six weeks.
The NHRC today said it has taken "suo motu cognisance of media reports about the high number of deaths at the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) in Akola district Women's Hospital".
"The deaths of the newborns in such a large number is indicative of gross negligence on the part of the state government, hospital management and departments concerned," it said.
"This amounts to a serious issue of violation of human rights of the innocent babies as well as their families, and demands immediate time-bound action by the state government," the NHRC said.
The Commission observed that the statistics in the news report, carried on October 16, "if correct, clearly indicate a shortage of doctors, nurses and other staff at the government hospital".
"The medical superintendent of the hospital has reportedly stated that every month they admit at least 250 babies to the SNCU, and there is a need for more hands to cope with the high number of patients," it said in a statement.
The Commission, therefore, has sought from the Maharashtra government, a detailed report, "giving a point- wise reply to the figures in the news report, and the steps being taken or proposed to be taken to deal with the gruesome situation".
Recounting the ordeal of expecting mothers in that part of rural Maharashtra, the media report gave an account of the problems faced by a 19-year-old woman, who delivered "an underweight baby and suffered complications" before reaching a 30-bed rural hospital at Warwat-Bakal in Buldhana district for treatment, the statement said.
Since the anaesthetist was not available there, she was referred to a facility in Shegaon, which is about one-and-a-half-hour away, it said.
"There, the gynaecologist was not available, as the post remains vacant, and finally a duty doctor helped her expel the placenta, which was stuck in her uterus. However, she had to be referred, with her 1.5-kg baby, to the SNCU, which is another one hour journey from Shegaon," the NHRC said.
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