LAHAN, Jan 7: Three newborns died at a Lahan-based private hospital on a single day, it has been learnt. The babies born on Friday at Saptarishi Hospital, Lahan were declared dead one after another within 24 hours.
The bereaved families have accused the hospital of negligence.
Janaki Yadav, 25, had given birth to a baby boy at the hospital through a Cesarean section on Friday. Soon after the birth, the doctors noticed some problems in the baby’s health and he was shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Doctors said the baby had problems with bowel movement and would be fine soon. But the baby died in the ICU.
“We were looking for some private hospital for better service. So we came here,” said the woman’s father Ghuran Yadav, a local of Lahan Municipality-19. “But my grandson did not survive,” he lamented.
According to Ghuran, his daughter was rushed to the hospital after she went into labor. After five hours of labor, the doctors decided to deliver the baby through a C-section.
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“After his death, they pressured us to take the body for burial without delay. We then took it to the nearby Balan River,” he said.
At the burial site, the family learnt that newborns dying at the hospital was not a new thing and several newborns had died over the past few months.
“Then we filed a complaint with the police accusing the hospital of medical negligence,” Ghuran said.
Following the complaint, DSP Sarat Kumar Thapa Chhetri visited the Saptarishi Hospital for investigation. The police learnt that two other newborns delivered at the hospital through C-section on Friday had also died. The other two women whose newborns died at the hospital have been identified as Pramila Yadav, 23, of Daraihiya village of Aurahi Rural Municipality and Sangita Sah, 20, of Dudhaula, of Balanbihul Rural Municipality of the district.
All three bereaved families have demanded a thorough investigation into the deaths.
Lal Bahadur Yadav, Pramila’s husband accused the hospital of ‘murdering the babies’.
“The hospital is now pressurizing us to settle the matter, but we want justice. The doctors responsible for the deaths should be punished,” he said.
Similarly, Manoj Sah, Sangita’s husband said he wants to take the matter to the court. “It is quite strange that three newborns died within 24 hours. This must be investigated,” he added.
Meanwhile, Dr Pashupati Chaudhari, chief of the hospital, defended the doctors and said there was no negligence on the part of the doctors. He stated that the surgeries were carried out under the leadership of Dr Ranjita Jaiswal and there was no negligence.
According to Sharat Thapa, chief of the Area Police Office, Lahan, police are investigating into the deaths following complaints by the three families.
Meanwhile, a source at the hospital claimed that some doctors at the hospital are not licensed by the Nepal Medical Council. “A doctor involved in the surgeries on Friday is also not certified. In fact, not three but four babies died at the hospital on Friday and Saturday. One family returned home after settling the matter for some money,” the source said, requesting anonymity.
Six months ago, Saptarishi Hospital had made headlines after its surgeons left cotton in the womb of Manatoriya Mandal of Siraha Municipality–7.
