Max Hospital Row: Newborn Dead, Parents Refuse to Collect Body

According to the report, there was no ECG done to find out whether the baby was dead or alive.

Max Hospital was found guilty of medical negligence. Image used for representation.

(Photo courtesy: ANI)

The newborn, who was first declared dead by Max Hospital in Shalimar Bagh in Delhi and later found to be alive by his parents, passed away during treatment at another hospital on Wednesday, 6 December.

Father, Ashok Kumar, has refused to take the body of his child, in an act of protest and demanded that the doctors of Max Hospital allegedly involved in the “medical negligence” in the case be arrested.

I will not take my son’s body until the two doctors are arrested.

Kumar to PTI

He also said he will also not get his wife, who is still admitted at Max Hospital, discharged from it, until they get justice.

The baby's uncle said that they will continue to protest outside Max Hospital.

A three-member expert panel, constituted to probe into the alleged irregularities of Max Hospital, submitted its report on 5 December to Health Minister Satyendar Jain, saying that the hospital did not follow the prescribed norms in dealing with newborn infants.

According to the report, there was no ECG conducted to find out whether the baby was dead or alive. The body was handed over without written instructions.

On 29 November, Max Hospital declared a premature baby boy ‘dead’, while he was found to be alive minutes before his burial.

The Max Healthcare, meanwhile, responded to the Delhi government panel’s preliminary report, saying:

We would like to thoroughly review the final report when we receive it before commenting. In the meantime, we are fully cooperating with all relevant authorities on this issue.

According to a Hindustan Times report, the hospital had issued a statement in which they had claimed that there will be an inquiry against the doctors responsible for this gross negligence and had also informed that they have been terminated from the service.

While the inquiry by the expert group which includes external experts from IMA is still in process, we have decided to terminate the services of the two treating doctors, Dr AP Mehta and Dr Vishal Gupta in the case relating to the twin extreme pre-term babies. This strict action has been taken on the basis of our initial discussions with the expert group and as a reflection of our commitment to higher standards of care.

Max Hospital Statement

(With inputs from ANI and PTI.)