Second newborn in rat bite incident in MP also dies

Another newborn baby died on Wednesday after reportedly being bitten by rats inside the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital (MYH) at Indore in Madhya Pradesh, which is one of the largest government hospitals of the state. A newborn baby girl died on Tuesday due to the alleged rat bite incident.

Two infants were bitten by rats on Monday inside the NICU of the state government hospital. One died yesterday, while the other succumbed today.

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The Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission also took cognisance of the matter today. It has served a notice to the hospital superintendent. The MPHRC has directed the hospital authorities to submit a report within a month.

On Tuesday, the State Commissioner for Health and the Medical Education Department issued a show-cause notice to the Dean of the Mahatma Gandhi Medical (MGM) College, to which the MYH is affiliated.

Besides, two nurses of the NICU were suspended, the nursing superintendent of the hospital was removed from her post, and show-cause notices were also issued to other staff members.

The Commissioner’s notice to MGM Medical College Dean Dr Arvind Ghangoria stated that the incident points to gross negligence and irresponsibility by the hospital administration and medical staff.

Nurses Akansha Benjamin and Shweta Chauhan were suspended. Nursing Superintendent Margaret Joseph was shifted and replaced by sister Dayawati Dayal.

MGM Dean Dr Arvind Ghangoria imposed a fine of Rs one lakh on the hospital’s pest control agency, Agile Company. He also issued a warning to the company that its contract would be cancelled.

The government has also constituted a high-level six-member committee of doctors to probe the incident thoroughly and submit a report.