Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Friday that action will be taken against all individuals involved in the death of a newborn at the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital’s (GMCH) neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Sarma stated that the arrested nurse was found to be “negligent” and that further action would be based on the findings of an inquiry panel.
The chief minister stated that the three-member probe committee constituted by the government will submit its report within a day or two.
Notably, A four-day-old infant had died after she was found hanging from the wires of a medical equipment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) on Monday (August 18).
The infant, born in the same hospital on August 15, was admitted to the NICU for infection and jaundice.
“I saw with my own eyes that negligence was there. A child has died. The nurses are themselves mothers, and they can understand the pain of losing a child even more than I,” Sarma said on the sidelines of a programme at Nalbari, when asked about GMCH nurses protesting against the arrest of their colleague.
On no other arrests being made so far in the case, Sarma said, “Arrests should not be the objective. It could provoke the doctors elsewhere, and they could also go on a protest. The inquiry committee will submit its report in two to three days, and then we will decide.”
“We will take action against all found guilty in the inquiry,” the chief minister, who is in-charge of medical colleges of the state and had visited GMCH the evening of the incident, added.
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Sarma refuted claims that the GMCH is understaffed, stating, “There are more staff than even required at GMCH, including nurses, doctors, and Grade 3 and Grade 4 employees.”
He also maintained that the principal of the hospital will not be transferred over the incident.
