Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Credit: PTI Photo
Guwahati: "I accept the lapses or mistakes," Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma told the reporters on Tuesday while referring to the death of a newborn girl after falling from the phototherapy bed of the neonatal ICU of Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), the state's largest government-run hospital on Monday morning.
Sarma said this when asked whether health minister Ashok Singhal could be blamed for the lapses leading to the death of the newborn. "The health minister does not look after the GMCH. I look after this and so I accept the lapses or mistakes."
As the incident invited sharp reactions, CM visited the hospital on Monday evening and ordered for a three-member committee to probe into the incident. A nurse of the neonatal ICU was suspended, Sarma said.
"We must accept the lapses and whatever has happened is unfortunate and unpardonable. I felt so sad and ashamed over the incident. Such an incident did not happen in the hospital earlier," Sarma said.
Father of baby Utpal Bordoloi told reporters that the baby was born on August 15 but doctors shifted her to the neonatal ICU due to some complications. But she was found hanging from the nook of the bed and doctors later declared her dead. Two other babies also fell on the floor and were injured. "She was our first baby. Can anyone bring her back now?" Bordoloi asked. He said her wife fell ill due to the death of her baby.
Poor capacity
Earlier on Monday, Principal-cum-chief superintendent of GMCH, Achyut Chandra Baishya said that the hospital's neonatal unit lacked facilities. "We have capacity to admit 70 to 80 children in a month but we have to admit about 1,000," he said.
CM Sarma, however, rejected the claim stating that the hospital authorities never informed him about lack of facilities. "Why were three babies kept in one bed despite having three beds in the room? The investigation team will find out all these. We must not give excuses for such a huge lapse."